Behind the Mirror
by Shiraken to Samanchan
Summary: Once he entered his barracks he was given a tour, he found some things weird, others not worth looking twice at, but what grabbed his attention was when the walls started talking to him. What is behind the mirror in the squad fourteen barracks? Direct continuation from The Noble Hollow. Completely new story line. Rated T for now, until it deserves M rating.
1. Chapter 1

"Alright, well, you said artifacts…where are they?" Ichigo asked Rukia, she was busy leading him through his new barracks. Masaki was with him too, she hadn't even been in there since they were active.

"In here…this is your office."

"W-wow! There's a tree and a pond in the office!" Ichigo shouts as he runs in, there's a tree growing through the floor in the corner in the middle of a small sized pond with dead fish in it. "Although…I'll need new fish…and those are the things you were talking about? What's so special about a glove, mirror, and a small black box."

"Just don't touch them, and never open that box. You can do research in the archives if you want the details on them. This door leads to the Captain's quarters, and this door is for the lieutenant." She pointed to two doors that were next to each other.

"Well, it's a bit different from squad five's layout, but I can manage."

"…Need you…"

"You say something Menoly?" Ichigo asked after he heard a whisper.

"No? Umm…don't squads usually have hundreds of members…?" She asks, rubbing her arm and looking at the ground, she still was shy around Rukia.

"Which is exactly why we're going to pick from the academy and Rukon, they wouldn't mind if I bring in some kids to train, would they?" Ichigo asks Rukia who just sighs and walks out of the office.

"You coming, there are three more main things I need to show you." She leads the three of them through the winding halls and stops in front of a wall that has three doors.

"What are they?" Masaki asks.

"These are sealed with old Kido that only the Kido Commander knew, if you want to open them, you'll need to track him down. His name is not on record, so good luck." She flash steps away.

"Alright, I like it here, Masaki, can you go find Loly and bring her here. Let her explore a bit, I'm taking Menoly to Shino Academy. Tell her that she's my new third seat."

…

"Alert! Hollow on campus, main gate!" A loudspeaker blasts as Ichigo and Menoly get to the academy and through the main gate. Within seconds, there is a group of ten students and an instructor.

"We have an unidentified arrancar female on campus, along with un unidentified male Shinigami, both of which do not appear hostile, but I'm requesting permission to engage." The instructor talks into the little device in his ear. "Yes, ma'am. Reach, To-" He began to release his zanpakuto.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"He-Head Captain Kyoraku, what do I owe the pleasure." The instructor asks.

"You can thank me for sparing you the injury of attacking him. I assume you've heard the rumors…Ichigo Kurosaki woke up…well, it's true. And you were about to attack him. I was already coming by, look at how the students are doing, he's here for a selection."

"Are you really Ichigo Kurosaki?" One of the smaller students ask as the group walks up to him.

"Yeah, what years are you?"

"We're all sixth years…Why, if I may ask."

"I'm recruiting for my squad. Would any of you be interested?"

"Of course…but…half of us are here because we're failing…the other half are noble volunteers…"

"Why are you failing?"

"The teacher doesn't like that me and her are from Zaraki…and she is a lowborn noble cast out…" The one speaking is the tallest of the group, she pointed at first to who looks like her younger sister. The third is a small girl who looks like she gets in a lot of fights, short rough hair, scratches and bruises everywhere. "An…"

"I've heard enough, welcome to squad fourteen, Hey, Shunsui, instructor, I'm taking these three for now. I'll be back tomorrow, I expect a kinder welcome, Menoly let's go, you three come on." Ichigo and Menoly start walking and the three he pointed out followed them hesitantly.

"Um…Sir…why are you choosing us? Wouldn't you rather have the nobles? Or the passing ones at least?" The shortest girl asks.

"No, not really. If you're failing, there isn't a whole lot of stuff to get in the way of me molding you into the Shinigami I need. And plus, discrimination like that is wrong." Ichigo says as he slows down for them, they are keeping to themselves behind him.

"You guys can walk with us, I know your weary of me…I understand that, but you shouldn't be afraid of your captain and your lieutenant." Menoly said with a weak smile, trying not to scare them. She knew they would be afraid of Loly, and she didn't want them to be afraid of her.

"Welcome to squad fourteen." Ichigo said as they arrived at the kido barracks, it was maybe a ten minute walk to the academy from there.

"These are the old Kido Division barracks…why are you in them?" The taller girl asks.

"Because they didn't want to build me another barracks…I didn't get your names actually."

"I'm Mitzumi Kuko, this is my little sister, Hinata Kuko. And her name is Yumai Hare."

"Oh, one of my good friends is named Yumai. Anyway, nice to meet you, Mitzumi, Hinata and Yumai. You'll get your uniforms soon." He said as he lead them in to the barracks, Loly ran up to them and grabbed Ichigo by his throat and pulled him down.

"I may not be able to kill you, but I can sure as hell hurt you! Don't you take Menoly without me knowing!"

"Oh, hey Loly, like the new barracks? Oh, these three are new squad members. And let go of me." He grabbed her wrist and stood back up and moved for them to see her, they immediately flinched back.

"I don't like the barracks, and what's with these kids? Are they afraid of me!?" She moved closer and Yumai drew her zanpakuto but was shaking.

"Yes, they are, you're not exactly the nicest of people…Loly-chan…" Menoly quietly said.

"Yeah, so you would make do with being friendly now, right? Yumai, calm down, she's the third seat, but…still a bit hostile around here to everyone except Menoly. Who by the way is the lieutenant."

"I…I'm sorry! C-captain, forgive me?"

"Of course I forgive you, you were acting on instinct. You guys should find your rooms, there are about a hundred rooms near the rear. And…Masaki, what are you still doing here?" Ichigo asked as she started walking up.

"Hey dad. The office is pretty cool, I brought some of our fish from squad five for you. Oh…who are they?"

"Um, Captain…how many arrancars do you have around here…?" Hinata asks quietly.

"Only these two are in this squad. And I want you guys to act normally, don't be so shy around us, we're friends. Right?"

"Yes Captain!" They all smiled and shouted.

"Good, Um…Menoly, you stay here and take them to their quarters, you remember the way around right? Take Loly too." He didn't wait for a response, he just flash stepped away.

"I never said yes…" Menoly grumbled to herself.

"He always did that, just disappears when he pleases, and knowing him, he'll come back and ask you something, but before you can answer he figures it out and leaves again, come on." Masaki motioned for everyone to follow her, the three students were distracted with a large picture of a dragon hollow.

"Why is there a picture of this hollow? And who are these two?" Yumai pointed to the two Shinigami in front of it.

"Who knows, it's an old painting."

…

"So, what are we doing out here?" Rukia asked Ichigo, he drug her out to Rukon district. Inuzuri to be specific.

"Well, you're from here and you turned out to be a great Shinigami, so I figured I would find some kids from here and mold them into Shinigami."

"Well, I turned out like this because the Kuchiki family took me in and raised me. How could a fool like you raise someone like me?"

"Simple, the Kurosaki way is more efficient than the Kuchiki way, no gatherings, no formal bull-"

"You little thief! Get back here!" A man shouts at a small boy who rounds a corner and slams right into Rukia.

"Shi-Shinigami! I-I-I'm so sorry! P-please don't hurt me!" The boy shouts, getting up and starting to run but Ichigo grabs him. "H-hey let me go!" Ichigo smiled and picked up the bag he dropped and handed it to him.

"You forgot this, stay out of trouble for a while, okay?" The boy takes it and runs, Ichigo helps Rukia up.

"Why did you let him go!?" The large man shouts as he catches up.

"It's just a child, let him go, here." Rukia said as she pulled out some coins and gave them to him.

"B-but…"

"You got your money, that's all you care about, go." The man nods and leaves. "Did you feel that Rukia? When I grabbed him, did you feel it?"

"Yeah, he has potential, so I guess that's victim…I mean…recruit number one."

"Yeah, let's follow him." Ichigo said as he grabbed Rukia's arm and made her follow.

"Why am I here…remind me please, so far, I got tackled by a thief, paid an old man because the thief tackled me, and I took a dirt bath."

"You're cute, not scary."

"Mo-Moron! I'm not cute!" She shouted behind him with a small blush.

"Which is exactly why you are, anyway, you won't scare the kids away…look, there he is. The food wasn't for him." He pointed to the boy giving the food to two boys and a girl smaller than him, both of the smaller boys were blonde with green eyes, the girl was very thin, as if she hadn't eaten in days, she was sitting on the ground and the boy who stole the food was helping her eat. She didn't have the strength to feed herself. Ichigo started walking over to them, pulling Rukia with him, eventually letting her go halfway when she walked on her own.

"Shi-Sh-Shinigami! Run!" One of the boys shouted, all three of them ran, leaving the girl alone as she tried eating an apple.

"P-please…don't…hurt them…"

"Hey, hey it's okay, we won't hurt you, here." Rukia held up the apple and she took a few bites out of it.

"Where did that bruise come from?" Ichigo asked as he knelt down next to her, he put his hand on her head and her reiatsu shot up much higher than the boy's, it was an instinct she had from older people touching her.

"Did you feel that?" Rukia asked as the girl looked up at Ichigo.

"Yes I did…let's wait for her friends to come back for her and then see about the other two."

"Th-thank you…Shinigami." The girl weakly said. Ichigo felt the boy slowly coming back.

"Hey! Get away from her!" The boy shouted as he rushed at Rukia with a stick, slamming it on the top of her head.

"Ichigo…if I get attacked by this boy one more time, you can do this alone…" Rukia said rubbing her head, Ichigo had grabbed the boy.

"Hey, calm down, you guys left her, we fed her, see…?" Ichigo pointed to her holding an apple to her mouth slowly eating it.

"It's okay…they're nice…not like the others…" She said after taking a bite.

"So, are you friends?"

"No, we found her laying on the ground, I don't even know her name…Guys! You can come out now! Hey…umm…can we have some of the food?" He asks, eying the bag in Rukia's hand, she picked up all the food that fell out.

"Yeah, of course, but first, I want those two to come over here." They eagerly did, if it meant food. Ichigo move his hand as if to hit them, nothing. No flare of reiatsu like the other two. "Huh, never mind, sorry for scaring you, I needed to test something, I want to take these two with me."

"You two, I can take you to district one, if you like though, only Shinigami can live in the Sereitei."

"That's fine with us, just help her." The two boys said at the same time. The third boy didn't care, he was leaving, he didn't care where, just getting out of Inuzuri.

"We will, she'll have a good life. So will he. Well, he will if he stops attacking me!" Rukia shouted at him, he just waved her off and ate another fruit.

…

"Thank you for helping us…" The girl said, she was on Rukia's back.

"You should thank Ichigo, if he didn't appear, you would have been in trouble."

"No need for thanks, what are your names anyway?" Ichigo asked as they entered the Sereitei.

"My name is Eren." The boy said, he nearly fell over himself as he looked around at the amazing sights that he's never seen.

"My…my name is Myumi…"

"Well, Eren and Myumi, welcome to the Sereitei, your new home. Oh…Rukia, Tier and Nel are on their way."

"Who are they?" Eren asked as he ran up to Ichigo.

"They are hollows, but my friends."

"W…why are you friends with hollows?" He asked, he grew up knowing to fear the hollows. When he felt their reiatsu draw near, he instinctively raised his, although much lower than he thought it was. Myumi just clung to Rukia tighter.

"Ichigo!" Nel shouted as she tackled him.

"Nel, hey! Let…go…can't breathe…" Ichigo gasped for air and she let him go and fell down next to him, she looked up at the confused boy behind him.

"Oh, hello!" She shouted. He just glared at her with fear and confusion.

"Calm down Nel, He isn't going anywhere. Oh, did you have children with Rukia?" She asked with a chuckle. "Is she okay?"

"She's hungry, she hasn't eaten in a few days, and we're taking them to the Kuchiki manor so they can eat." Ichigo said to Tier as he stood up. Nel was bent down smiling at Eren.

"Ichigo, they have great potential, are they going to the academy?"

"Nope, I'm going to mold them into a Shinigami." He said with a smirk looking down at Eren who was still staring at Nel, he didn't know what arrancars were and was confused. "Eren, Nel, come on, Myumi is hungry, let's go bother the Kuchiki's for food."

…

"She was certainly hungry!" One of the Kuchiki's servers said with a smile as she placed down a third plate of food in front of Myumi.

"Sorry! I haven't eaten in four days!"

"Who is this and why is she eating my food…Kurosaki…I'm on my last nerve with your adventures." Byakuya said as he walked into the room.

"Nii-sama! Show some compassion, we found her in Inuzuri."

"Is that so…What is your name?" He commanded of her, she said something but it wasn't anything because there was food in her mouth.

"If you are in my home, you will address me with respect."

"Yo, Byakuya, calm down, she's a hungry child, does there need to be any reason to not help her?" Ichigo said as he held his had up to him.

"You, I've had enough of you, leave when your done, I do not expect to see you in here uninvited again."

"I invited him in Nii-sama." Rukia said with an annoyed face.

"Invited my me or Masaki."

"He's her father."

"Invited by me." And he left. He really never forgave Ichigo for destroying soul society in the past. To him the end didn't justify the means like Ichigo thought it did.

"What's stuck in his ass this time?" Ichigo whispered in Rukia's ear.

"He is still mad at you from thirty years ago."

"Whatever, so, Myumi, you should leave some room for dinner later."

"I guess so…but I was just so hungry! Hmm…how do you think Eren is doing, you dropped him off with that one woman…what was her name…the one with the missing eye."

"I think he's fine, Menoly is really passive, as long as he doesn't mess with Loly, he'll be fine…I hope they get along, she's really shy."

…

"Loly-chan what are you doing?"

"Looking for that little brat...where did he go!?" She answered, angry sounding.

"Why are you chasing him, what did he do?"

"He bumped into me and ran away, he's around here somewhere, I feel him."

"Menoly-chan! Help me!" he ran out of a room next to Loly and he hid behind Menoly.

"Loly-chan leave him alone…Ichigo-sama will be mad if you hurt him."

"Let him be mad!"

"Let me be mad about what?" Ichigo asked as he walked by with Myumi behind him. Her bruise gone.

"W-When did you get back!?" She shouted at him after flinching.

"Just now, Eren did you meet the others yet, beside the arrancar."

"Uh…I heard some voices from a room, but I didn't go in."

"Take me to the room. I'll introduce you to them. After all, you're living with me until you two are old enough to become Shinigami."

"Ichigo-sama!" Menoly shouted as she ran after them. "The three of them found the Rec Room, I think that's where they are."

"Well, that doesn't help, I've never been in here before today."

"This room." Eren said as he opened the door to reveal the three former students laughing and talking, drinking some tea, Ichigo had no idea where they got it. They straightened up when they saw Ichigo.

"Captain Kurosaki! We were…uh…we…" Hinata began but Ichigo laughed.

"It's alright, you probably didn't learn about me since I wasn't a captain when you were in the academy. You don't have to act like your hardened soldiers around me."

"N-no, we learned about you…about how ruthless you were…"

"Oh, ignore all that, I want to start over with myself, so, just have fun, you'll know when the time for being serious is, trust me. We're at peace as far as I know so, just do whatever, tonight I'll have someone come by for your uniforms. And I would like you to meet Eren and Myumi. Treat them as if they are my children, they're too young to be Shinigami right now, so be nice, go on, go get to know them, for now, this is the entire squad plus those two near the entrance. The blonde arrancar is the lieutenant." Ichigo explained as he walked in with the three others following him, he figured Loly was always going to be hostile so he didn't bother trying to change her.

"Captain Kurosaki, while you were out, the other Captain Kurosaki came by." Mitzumi said as she walked over to them.

"Umm…which one?" He asked, there were Orihime and Tatsuki.

"Oh…right there are three of them now…" She began thinking for a moment. "The one with black hair. She said she was waiting in your office."

"Huh…I didn't sense her."

"There is a kido here that messes with our detection skills." Tatsuki said from behind him.

"Oh, hey Tatsuki."

"Hi dad. So, you're already kidnapping children to fit your squad?" She said with a laugh, there was a distant explosion that shook the ground

"What was that? And this reiatsu it's…monstrous…

"I don't know, you guys stay here." Ichigo said as he ran out of the barracks. There was another explosion, Menoly and Loly followed him out.

"We're coming too."

…

"Wonderful! You're much stronger than you look!" Kenpachi roared as he swung down on the pink haired captain. She swung her scythe at his chest, but only to block his zanpakuto. He jumped back and put his hand on his eye.

"Oh shit…"

"I can fight at full strength with you! It's been a while!" He removed his eye patch and a blast of yellow reiatsu pushed her back, she flared her own and was able to stand right. She held the scythe above her head and it started glowing white.

"Bankai! Total Annihilation!" the scythe formed into two smaller scythes that she grabbed in each hand, she stabbed them into the ground and two large explosions followed. Kenpachi was sent into a building from the force. She flash stepped over to him and kicked him in the face while he was still embedded in the wall, he retaliated with the same thing. He kicked her in the face but she partially blocked with one scythe, and with the other, she stabbed him in the side, the entire foot long blade piercing him. He coughed up some blood on her face and fell to the ground. She stumbled a few feet and collapsed next to him, she didn't know it but her injuries were very serious.

"Get the relief team down here!" Someone shouted, another ran off to go find someone from squad four.

"Well holy shit, what happened here?" Ichigo asked as he arrived at the battle scene.

"The Kenpachis fought." Someone answered him. "Captain Kurosaki, it's nice to see you up and around again. Welcome back."

"Hmm? You were around when I was awake?"

"I'm one of your surviving squad members." He said with a smile. "I was your nineteenth seat though. My name is Kyura Minamoto." He had short brown hair and blue eyes. He had a short beard that was trimmed neatly.

"Oh…I remember you. Anyway, you said Kenpachis as in more than one. I don't see two of him."

"She's the American Kenpachi. Terra Stevens, Captain of squad three, head of research and development, strongest American Shinigami."

"Ichigo-sama. Look at the large man." Menoly said as she pointed to him. He was heavily bleeding.

"Ah crap, I don't need him dying." Ichigo jumped down and healed him just enough so the bleeding would stop, he still wasn't good enough at kido to heal significantly bad wounds. He closed the wounds of Terra too as the relief team got there and took them back to squad four.

…

"Menoly, do you like it here?" Masaki asked, she invited Menoly and Loly over to the Kuchiki mansion to sit in the garden with her and Ulquiorra, who was sitting quietly off to the side under a tree.

"It's more lively than I thought…and Ichigo-sama, was described as a ruthless monster with no morality when Aizen described him, I was shocked when he treated us as equals." Menoly said with a smile, she felt at ease around Masaki because she was an arrancar too. Masaki just giggled a bit and looked at Ulquiorra then sighed.

"I wish he wasn't so…distant."

"He's been like that since I met him. Umm…This naming ceremony tonight…what will happen there…?"

"Well, all that happens at the official ceremony is my father will get a new coat, signifying squad fourteen, and you will receive a lieutenant's badge like this one." She pointed to the badge on her waist. "Usually they go on the arm, but I keep mine down here. I'm not sure, but they'll probably get you a uniform. You can customize it anyway you want."

"Oh, is…I suppose there are a lot of people there…"

"Oh my god would you stop being so shy! It pisses me off!" Loly shouted from the other side of the tree Menoly was leaning against.

"Oh leave her alone, shy is cute!" Masaki said with a smile. Byakuya came out and walked toward Masaki.

"You have guests. Ah, Kurosaki's lieutenant." He said staring at Menoly.

"Y-yes…si-sir!"

"Shy one, good, she isn't like him. You will address me as Captain Kuchiki."

"Yes, Captain Kuchiki…"

"Masaki, would you like any drinks for your guests, or for Ulquiorra-san?"

"I do not require anything." Ulquiorra blandly said as he stood up to go inside.

"I d-don't want anything but thank you anyway, Captain Kuchiki."

"I could go for something, I don't care what." Loly announced from the other side of the tree. Byakuya held his hand up next to his head and a servant ran over to him. Byakuya whispered something and the servant ran off. Byakuya sat down next to Masaki.

"You would do wise to not get too close to Captain Kurosaki." Byakuya said looking at Menoly. She looked at him puzzled. "His mental stability is in question, and just before the battle twenty nine years ago, he executed one of his squad members for questioning him with a valid question. He disappeared for six months and when he came back he destroyed soul society. He is a womanizer, a drunk and is a very dangerous person all together."

"No, I'm a dangerous person, he's…yeah he got drunk a lot, yeah when he's drunk he ends up having sex, yes…he destroyed soul society. But he did that for all of us. The people who died knew there wouldn't be any other way to destroy him."

"E-excuse me…I want to return to my barracks…how do I get out of here…?" Menoly said as she stood up. Loly looked at her as if deciding to go back or not. She decided to stay there.

"I'll take you, come on. I just gave Myumi something to wear, I'm about to take her back, you can come too." It was Rukia with Myumi behind her wearing a small red robe with a golden design on it.

"Okay. Captain Kuchiki, thank you for the hospitality." Menoly ran over to Rukia and they left.

"At least she has manners."

...

"Ichigo Kurosaki, you are being…whatever you already heard this once before. Step forward and get your coat." Shunsui said with a smirk, Ichigo and Menoly were kneeling between the rows of captains and lieutenants, minus Kenpachi and Terra. They were still recovering.

"Thanks." Ichigo put on his coat and stepped back.

"Now, Menoly Mallia, step forward to receive your Lieutenant Badge and uniform. Don't worry I wont make you change right now, Nanao-chan would kill me." He glanced over at Nanao and she glared at him after fixing her glasses. Menoly stood and received the badge from him and went back to sit next to Ichigo. "Alright, now that this is out of the way, I set up for you two to get to Shino Academy in two days to pick the squad. You can pick through fifth and sixth years."

"What about the two Inuzuri children he took and brought into the Sereitei? What will become of them?" Byakuya asks Shunsui, who just looks confused.

"What children?" He said to Ichigo, he didn't know about the children.

"I rescued two hungry children with potentially high reiatsu, I hope you don't mind, I'm going to train them when they are older."

"Maybe you should send them to Shino Academy." He suggested.

"I used to be a teacher, leave them alone, they'll be fine, my kids turned out fine, plus, I would like to raise a boy." Ichigo said with a dumb smile, Shunsui sighed and waved him off.

"Whatever. Nanao-chan, bring her the uniform." Nanao nods and goes to get her the uniform but she comes back without it.

"We don't have her measurements, and I'm sure that she and the other arrancar haven't had their physicals."

"Oh…true…now that I think about it…our rules are that all new captains and lieutenants need physicals. So you two are to report to Squad Four, Captain Kotetsu will perform the exams now, you're all dismissed. And at the request of Orihime Kurosaki, we will not be throwing a party." He finishes and all the captains leave with their lieutenants except for Isane and Orihime.

"Why aren't we having a party?" Ichigo asks as he stands with Menoly.

"Because your body isn't used to the alcohol, now come on, I don't want to do this." Isane said as she led the three of them out.

"Orihime…I'm really, honestly, down to my core…sorry for how we treated you."

"I already said I forgave you, I'm much stronger than you, if I didn't forgive you, you would be in pieces. Anyway, Isane is very gentle you don't need to be afraid. I noticed how shy you are."

"I'm…okay…"

"I don't want to do this because it was my captain who did his originally, and I've heard things from Yumai…and…" Isane was mumbling to herself and nobody heard her.

"Hello Captain, new recruits, reporting for duty." A voice from behind said. It was Nel and Tier.

"You two? What are you talking about?"

"They said that they want to be in your squad, I finalized the transfer, the forms are on your desk for approval." Orihime said with a smile. A hell butterfly landed on her shoulder and her face had a startled expression. "Ah! I'll talk later!" She kissed Ichigo and ran off. Menoly watched her run away.

"Umm…let's get this physical over with." She said with a sigh and looked at Isane.

"Okay, follow me you two. Wh-what are you doing!?" Isane shouted as Ichigo grabbed her and Menoly.

…

Menoly and Ichigo went through the physical, Isane tried as best she could to not stare at Ichigo, her mind said not to look but her hands and body made her. Loly waited outside along with Tier and Nel. Yumai was there talking to them but she left because she was busy. Menoly was the first to come out, she had a shihakusho now. She was listening to all the stories about Ichigo. She liked that there were other arrancar to talk to that she knew. Ichigo came out and Menoly jumped up to greet him. she had a mischevious smirk on her face.

"Strawberry-sama! Are we ready to go?"

"Oh hell no, don't start this with me, Tier…Nel…please don't ruin her." He said the last part with a chuckle.

…

"I need help to…!" There was a voice that shouted from nowhere, it sounded in Menoly's quarters, it woke her with a jolt. The voice belonged to that of a young girl. There was a knock on the door that startled her.

"Menoly, you okay? I heard screaming." It was Ichigo. He opened the door when she didn't respond, he went in to see her sitting up looking at a wall. "What was that, are you okay?"

"I…heard it too."

"Uh-huh…I heard a voice earlier…" He had an idea. "Hey, hey, do you think it's haunted? The barracks…?"

"Don't start this with me, ghosts don't exist in this life." She said crossing her arms and standing up. She looked around and saw a window with the shade drawn, she moved over to it and pushed it aside to see it was dark outside.

"Worth a shot." Ichigo sighed. "It's late, you should get to sleep. Or you can come out and talk with Myumi and me."

"How late is it?"

"About three. Myumi couldn't sleep and she came to me so I'm talking with her."

"I must have screamed in my sleep and woke myself…I've never done that before…maybe…never mind. Good night…morning…"

"Help me...scared…" The voice said again, this time, neither of them heard it. Menoly just lay back down and fell back to sleep after Ichigo left. The voice kept saying that over and over for about an hour but neither of them heard its cries for help. Morning rolls by and the voice has silenced itself. The sun is up, and Ichigo is still sleeping, Menoly is just standing around talking to Loly about the voice and Loly just said she was insane.

"Morning." Tier said as she walked by them into the office.

"Harribel-san, he isn't awake yet." Menoly mentioned as she saw her heading for his door.

"Well, I will wake him then I need to ask him something." She goes in and a few seconds later he come out with her and slumps at his desk.

"This cant wait until later?"

"Nope, you need to fill it out and have it in by ten."

"Why didn't you get Menoly to do it?" He protested as he looked down at the two forms on his desk.

"She's never filled these out before, just sign it." Tier was beginning to get annoyed with this, it was just his signature. He picked up a pen and signed it for her, he did the one for Nel too.

"Alright, well, I don't have anything to do with this squad for a while, so why don't you four go get acquainted with the rest of the squad. I'm taking Eren and Myumi to get some clothes for them maybe steal…I mean borrow from the Kuchiki's again.

…

"Loly-chan, it looks good on you, that other outfit you were wearing…it showed too much skin." Menoly told Loly as she came out of a room in a shihakusho.

"I don't, not enough skin is showing."

"You could change it around if you like, see, I don't have sleeves on mine." A man with black spiky hair and a 69 tattooed on his face said from behind them.

"And who are you?" Menoly asked, noticing he had a lieutenant badge too.

"Oh, that hurts, Lieutenants are supposed to be friends, I introduced myself yesterday, I'm Shuhei Hisagi, remember…I said I used to be captain, but an injury made me drop rank…I told you yesterday."

"Oh…I'm sorry."

"Yeah, you can apologize later, help me rip the sleeves off."

"Here, let me." He said as he walked over to her, he grabbed both and tore down, in one motion both sleeves were gone.

"T-Thank you. What did you say your name was?" Loly asked as she looked at the fringes.

"Lieutenant Hisagi, but you can call me Shuhei."

"Oh, there you are, I was looking for you." Orihime said as she rounded a corner. "Oh you look son cute! Hi Hisagi-san!"

"Hey Orihime-chan, these two are pretty interesting, where'd he find them?"

"Oh, no, Urahara-san revived them."

"Weird. Whatever, hey, listen, if you two have any questions or need anything, just come find me." He said with a smile directed toward Loly as he walked away.

"Anyway, now that you have the uniform, I want you two to join the SWA, I'm president of it and I'm sure you two will have fun!" Orihime said with a smile as she grabbed their hands and started pulling them.

"The SWA…What's that?" Loly asked curiously.

"A bunch of the female shinigami get together and have fun! Ever since Retsu died, I've taken over as president."

"Listen, princess. I don't think I share the same idea of fun as you do." Loly said with an angry tone. Orihime just stopped and turned to her with a smile.

"No, you listen, I don't care that you don't like me, I forgave you for the past, when I first saw you, I thought about slitting your throats, I didn't, so you can be grateful and do what I tell you, or I'll kill you myself." She turned to Menoly. "You, I like you, you came and apologized. You're actually a nice person, I can tell, but you're too easily manipulated by her." She let go of both of them when she saw Shuhei coming around a corner.

"I heard everything, and I know what you two did to her in the past, she;s forgiving you, the least you could do is try to be her friends."

"Hisagi-san…" Orihime said.

"Oh actually I do have a question for you…have you ever been in the old Kido barracks?"

"Menoly, I've been everywhere, why?" He answered with a smug look.

"Well, I heard voices…and…"

"Nope, not dealing with that again, get Ichigo to track down the kido commander, then he can explain everything." He shook his head after scratching it. "But…if you need someone to show you around, I'd be happy to help."

"Shuhei, leave them alone." Kensei said, he was the captain now. He came by to find him. "You still have some paperwork to do."

"But captain, I was just being nice to the new lieutenant and her friend."

"Hmm…Oh, right, you're the new lieutenant. Sorry, I have a problem remembering people."

"No, it's okay so do I." Menoly said with a weak smile, Loly just crossed her arms at having to know another person.

"My name is Kensei Muguruma. And my lieutenant is a bit of a flirt." He said as he smacked the back of Shuhei's head.

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm being genuine, you couldn't know that."

"Unfortunately I do know. Lieutenant Mallia, Captain Kurosaki is a strange one, be careful."

"Which Captain Kurosaki, Captain?" Shuhei asked with a smartass tone.

"Don't get smart with me, all three of them." He started to walk away. "Shuhei, paperwork, now."

"Alright, I guess I'll talk with you later, bye Orihime-chan." When he heard she was single again, he tried his hardest to win her over, she shot him down many times, but he kept trying, and he doesn't know that because Ichigo is back, he doesn't even have a slice of a chance.

"Hisagi-san." She nodded. "Now, will you please just come to one meeting, we're already late."

"I guess I'll try it." Loly grumbled and crossed her arms.

'I want to know about those voices…that isn't normal…right?' Menoly thought as she followed.

…

"I would like to welcome two new members; they are new here in general so play nice."

"These are arrancars." Nemu mentioned out of nowhere.

"Yes, Nemu, we've been through this, me and Tier are also arrancar." Nel said, Nemu had performed an experiment on herself and now certain chunks of her memory get erased from time to time.

"Yes…"

"Anyway, this is Loly Aivirrne, third seat in the new fourteenth squad, and Menoly Mallia the new lieutenant of the fourteenth squad."

"Nice to meet you. My name is Kiyone Kotetsu." A girl with short blond hair said from the left of her.

"Kotetsu…are you her sister?" Menoly asked pointing at Isane.

"Yep, my big sister is Captain of squad four." She said with a prideful smirk.

"Hey!" Yachiru said as she jumped in front of Menoly from behind her.

"Uh…hi there."

"That's Yachiru Kusajishi, Lieutenant of squad eleven; she had a cold yesterday which is why she wasn't at the naming ceremony." Isane said as she moved to get some tea. "Would you like some tea?"

"No thank you, nice to meet you Yachiru."

"This is boring, what do you do here?" Loly said, she was sitting against the wall.

"Well, we like to cause trouble for the male captains, take pictures of them in incriminating situations, we also have an underground section, but you'll have to wait for the leader of that to ask about it."

"Underground? Like drugs, and sex?"

"No, no, those are parts of the normal functions of the SWA. The underground…"

"Sorry I'm late everyone." A woman announces as she walks in. She has medium length dark green hair and blue eyes. Over her left arm she wears a black lace sleeve from her hand to her elbow it stops at the fingertips. Her shihakusho is missing the left sleeve and she has a red sash instead of a white one. "Oh…who are they?"

"These are the new officers for squad fourteen."

"Oh…that's right, there is a fourteen now. Then I suppose you two can take me to see your captain? My name is Arema Zaraki. Fourth seat, squad eleven, head of the Underground SWA. Pleased to meet you." She moved her hair aside and it uncovered a small piece of a mask fragment under her ear.

"Oh…you're…"

"Not really, my real name is Arema Kurosaki. Your captain is my grandfather, I'm actually pretty young…"

"If he's family, why do you need us to go see him?" Loly asked while crossing her arms.

"Because he doesn't know who I am…and It will be weird if I go alone, you two are in his squad, so if I go with you, it would be easier."

"Right, right, whatever, now about this underground thing?"

"Assassination and porn."

"Well, isn't that wonderful, sign me up!" Loly shouted.

"Loly-chan…you…aren't fitted for that…"

"What's that mean!?" She shouted at her quickly.

"You have the body of a little girl." Sui-Feng announced.

"Not to worry, in case you all didn't know, there is a wide demographic that we target, yes, there are some with an interest in smaller girls, but we haven't been able to locate anyone willing to play the part. Third seat Aivirrne would make a wonderful actress."

"Do I get anything out of it?"

"A few titles that most wouldn't like, and you get to meet lots of different people, and that isn't all we do, we also offer rigorous training, illegal drug running and much more."

"Again, sign me up."

"No, sorry, Arema-chan, don't let her join you. Ichigo wants them unspoiled as much as possible."

"Oh, okay, well after this meeting, do you think you can take me to your barracks?"

"Sure."

"Okay, introductions, done? I would like to propose, we do a special magazine issue on the new squad." Sui-Feng speaks out.

"Magazine…"

"Oh, we also have a magazine that we run with the SMA. The men asscosation. Well, more specifically, Hisagi-san. The one you met earlier."

"Oh yeah, the hot guy with the face tattoo." Loly said, at the mention of his name, she was interested in him to say the least. Orihime just sighed.

"Yes…the hot one with the face tattoo."

"President, can I get approval to start taking pictures?" Sui-Feng asked while holding up her camera. Orihime nodded. And so did Sui-Feng, she stood and left.

"This doesn't seem that bad does it, Loly-chan?"

"Well, I want to join Underground…"

"Too bad, I can make your life hell, or you can do this one thing I say." Orihime said, looking off to the side. "Meeting dismissed, be here on Friday, noon." She stood up and walked out.

"She's been in a weird mood since Captain Kurosaki…Captain Ichigo came back, don't worry." Kiyone said with a smile.

"So, can we go now?" Loly asked impatiently.

"You can go find Hisagi-kun, I know you want to, I'm going to bring Arema-san back to the barracks." Menoly said as she stood up.

…

"Oh, hey Menoly…I, who is this?"

"Hi, umm…I'm Koko's daughter…"

"Ah…right…wait, why didn't she tell me she had a kid?" He asked as he stood up and looked her over. "You do look like her…"

"Yeah, I've been told…uh…I was hoping that I could join this squad."

"Alright, what seat and squad were you?"

"I'm the fourth seat in eleven and I needed to fight my captain to leave the squad."

"Good luck with that. Wait, isn't he still recovering from his fight with Terra?"

"No, he's recovering from his fight with me. He was up and around an hour after his fight with her, his fight with me, since my zanpakuto induces nausea and disorientation." She said with a proud look.

"You're pretty strong than huh?"

"He pulled me from squad two just for my strength."

"Squad two? Why were you there?"

"You don't know? My mom is lieutenant."

"She didn't tell me anything, well…get the transfer form and I'll sign, oh, there you are Loly. Nice touch with the no sleeves."

"Your granddaughter is a pornstar." She mentions as she walks away.

"So?" He asks. "I don't watch it, I don't care, she can do what she wants to, it's not like I've been around so I have any say in her life. Although I just wish it was my daughter who told me about her."

"Well, my mom…lately she hasn't been her self, she's always out, tracking rouges, killing hollows, she doesn't talk much anymore and when she finds someone who might talk she just leaves."

"I noticed she was a bit off the other day…"

"Help me…please, I need help." Ichigo chose to ignore the voice because it didn't seem that anyone but Menoly heard it, she just looked at a wall when it spoke. Arema didn't move.

'Whatever, going insane again. Maybe I should track down the old commander.'

"Anyway, once you can get me that transfer form, I can officially say welcome to squad fourteen, and you should keep that little hobby of yours under wraps around my squad, if they recognize you so be it." A hell butterfly lands on his shoulder and flies away, within a minute the three squad members from the academy and one other from a different squad, and Tier and Nel appeared.

"This is my granddaughter, she's joining this squad from squad eleven, she's going to be either fifth or sixth seat, I haven't decided yet."

"Why those? I was fourth in eleven…"

"Well, it just so happens that Tier and Nel are at or above captain level, Loly is almost lieutenant level, Menoly is above average. Hmm…Actually, Tier and Nel, you two will be the third seat, Menoly will be fifth, Arema will be fourth. Menoly can stay l- No…" Ichigo stopped talking when he felt the all to familiar reiatsu of Ulquiorra releasing his resurreccion. He immediately ran out after grabbing zangetsu. He moved as fast a she could and he arrived where he felt the reiatsu, he was floating above the ground in the first stage of his resurreccion, above a crater with smoke. Ichigo was about to charge him down but a grey cero blasted him from the crater. Ichigo knew that belonged to Masaki. He flew out of the explosion of the cero to confront Masaki who was now floating at his level, her arms were replaced with two white wings with red tips on the feather like spikes. And a tail with a trident like spike on the end, there were black markings all over her visible skin, the left half of her face now covered with mask. She let out a screech that made Ichigo double over from the pain in his ears, when he looked back up Masaki was floating where Ulquiorra was, holding one of his wings as he fell to the ground. There was an explosion of black and green energy and it started to rain down the green rain. He formed his lance in his hand and took aim. Ichigo flash stepped in front of him and cut off his horns with one swipe of zangetsu and threw the lance straight in the air before it exploded, leaving the barracks unharmed.

"Dad." Masaki said, she returned to normal and landed next to him. "Why did you stop the fight?"

"Yes, why did you stop the fight? I'm not doing anything wrong, she asked me to fight her. I was following her commands." He asked, standing up sheathing his sword.

"I've been hit by that…and it sucks. I was fine watching, but when you used that, I ended it, here's a new rule, you aren't allowed to use your gran ray cero or your Segunda Etapa. Or I'll kill you. Again. Understand?" The both nodded. "And exactly what was that you were doing? Was that your resurreccion?"

"Well…that was the first stage…it has three stages and I cant really use the third one all to well without losing my mind. Last time I did it, I ripped Tier's arms off." Ichigo had to make sure he heard that right.

…

Rukia elegantly dodged every projectile that came her way, be it a massive Kido, ice, energy or acid, she gracefully jumped between everything.

"Getsuga…" Ichigo began, but his arms were frozen to the ground by a pole of ice. He shattered them and began to swing down zangetsu but found himself slammed between pillars of ice and couldn't do anything.

"Not this time! Now, Captain Hitsugaya!" She shouted, he came flying past her from behind and went to shoot an ice dragon, but a wave of acid melted his dragon. Orihime shattered the pillars of ice and let Ichigo free.

"Bankai!" He released his Bankai and rushed her down, swing after swing, sparks and ice flying everywhere. Orihime and Hitsugaya were fighting each other but he lost once the liquid touched his leg, he fell to the ground and couldn't move. Orihime backed off because she wanted Rukia to fight this through.

"Damn it! Hold still!" Ichigo shouted as every time he swung his sword it would miss. Rukia dodged it like she was dancing.

"Moron, you think I've been drinking tea for thirty years? I wasn't captain for nothing you know." She flashed behind him and stabbed him through the left shoulder, he grabbed the blade.

"And there is a reason you aren't anymore." He flash stepped behind her, blade still in his chest, it was ripped from her hands, he wrapped his arms around her and tightened them, stabbing her in the back with her own zanpakuto. She let out a shriek of pain before falling silent. "You don't meet the challenge." He let her go and she fell to the ground, he pulled her zanpakuto out and set it next to her before healing her. After a minute or two of that, he kicked her in the face and she jumped up and started screaming at him.

"WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN!? I DON'T MEET THE CHALLENGE!?" Ichigo just poked her forehead with the butt of his hilt and she shut up.

"You can say thank you for not letting me bleed out, oh great and powerful lord Ichigo." She just punched him in the face, breaking his nose. "That hurts you know!"

"Oh, it's good that you're being permanently sealed by Captain Stevens, I like hurting you."

"Ichigo!" Orihime shouts as she runs over, she puts her hands over his face and heals his nose.

"Orihime, I don't need another wedding, start wearing the ring again." He said, remembering that she didn't have the ring on even before they decided to team up in a fight.

"O-okay!" She happily shouted. A hell butterfly landed on her shoulder and a look of surpise and shock crossed her face.

"What is it?"

"We're having another set of twins…"

"But…"

"I had an operation ten years ago. I was hoping that if you ever came out, we can have another child. But I didn't expect twins."

"Are…" Ichigo didn't have to finish his question for Orihime to know what he was asking.

"Ichigo-sama! That was amazing!" Menoly shouted as she landed next to him with sonido. "You too, Captain Kurosaki, Third seat Abarai, Captain Hitsugaya. Is something wrong." She noticed the flat expression on Ichigo's face.

"Both this time, Ichigo. But there have been advancements in suppressing hollows. You saw Arema. When she was born, a small chip was implanted and now the hollow half of her is submissive."

"What is going on?" Loly asked from behind Menoly.

"I'm having another set of twins…and their both arrancars." Ichigo said, a small smile growing on his lips.

"Ichigo?" Orihime looked puzzled at his expression.

"I don't care if they're hollows. Chances are they will be like me. It isn't really a hollow. Wait, are they Quincy?"

"What? Why would they be Quincy? They've been extinct for such a long time…"

'I'll let this topic slip.' Ichigo thought to himself. Zangetsu told him the truth about what he is and what the so called hollow is.

"Never mind, I won't let what they are get to me this time. Anyway, You two." He turned to Menoly and Loly. "Loly, I want you to train with Rukia, Menoly is coming with me to the academy. Tomorrow, she will join you in training." Rukia turned back at the mention of her name.

"Train her with what?"

"I don't know, teach her kido, teach her how to use flash step, anything that she doesn't know. Same with Menoly tomorrow, I want them to know at least how we fight."

"And if I say no?"

"I'm a captain, you're back to third seat. What I say goes." He said with a smirk bending over to meet her eye level.

…

"Hello Captain Kurosaki. Nice to see you again. I was actually in your last class." A man in a white robe with green stripes on the sleeves said sitting behind a desk in a room that Ichigo was led into.

"I'm sorry I don't remember any of my students unless they are alive and told me the other day."

"My name is Jutan Seiro." He had red eyes and brown hair, very pale skin.

"Well, than good to see you. You probably know why I'm here, I take it Shunsui told you?"

"Yes, follow me, I have the sixth years awaiting your arrival. There are a fine selection of nobles, middle class…and Lower class."

"Tell the nobles to go back to class." Ichigo said. "I don't want any noble brats in my squad."

"Of course. When we get there." He said after a moment of hesitation, he began leading Ichigo through the halls.

"Why can't I feel the students?"

"The walls are lined with a special metal that traps Reiatsu and doesn't allow it to enter or leave the room. The students don't even know you're here." He spoke with a proud air about him.

"Is that so…"

"Here we are." He opened a door to a large room with students all over the place. When they noticed the two they all scrambled to get into a line at the back of the room. "May I have your attention, all students with noble bloodline, step forward." More than half of the students took a step forward. "Good, all of you return to your classes. You are no longer eligible for this selection." They all were shocked. Some of the started to protest.

"Why the hell not!? Do you know what family I belong to!?" A boy with long black hair shouted.

"From your attitude I would say Kuchiki." Ichigo said as he took a few steps forward.

"That's right! I'm Neiro Kuchiki! I have the highest marks at the academy!"

"If I may, Kuchiki. You do not. You have the second highest."

"That Zaraki rat beat me!?" He turned and looked at a tall girl with a white flower in her blonde hair. Her eyes were bright blue.

"I did. And if you were smart, you wouldn't call me a Zaraki rat."

"Why not, Rat?" He said, flailing one of his arms.

"Turn around." She said. He did, and noticed Ichigo was standing behind him.

"This is exactly why I don't want any nobles."

"I don't care about your opinion, Human; I only want to join your squad becau…" He stopped when he noticed Ichigo had formed a small dark ball in his hand. It had swirling blue lightning bolts inside of it.

"If you can hold this for ten seconds, without losing a finger or getting burned, I won't go speak to Masaki about you."

"F-fine! Wait…Kido isn't solid!" Ichigo used his other hand to make him hold his out. He placed the ball in his hands and he immediately dropped it causing an explosion of blue smoke.

"I used Reishi to solidify my reiatsu. Masaki will punish you later. Remember, she's also human too."

"What do you mean?" He asked as he was walking away but turned back.

"Hey Jutan, what's the story with this? Am I not a subject anymore?"

"It's a crime to teach anything about you or your techniques. These students are unaware of your abilities. The only thing that they know about you is that you are human and a war criminal and now a captain." He said stepping forward, the door swung open. Menoly ran in followed by a teacher.

"Sorry I'm late! I was dealing with some Shinigami who wouldn't let me through!" She was immediately attacked by Neiro. But was knocked back by her elbowing him in the chest. "Ichigo-sama, please explain to them I'm not a foe, I don't want to hurt children if I don't have to."

"You moron, look at her arm." Ichigo said as he knocked the back of his head." The held up her arm to show her lieutenant badge. He shoved past her and left like all the other nobles did.

"What was that about?" she asked.

"Don't worry about it. Now all of you, come here and greet your new lieutenant." He turned to the rest of the students but they all stood there silently looking to one another. Only the girl from Zaraki mentioned earlier stood forward.

"My name is Chizu. Nice to meet you captain Kurosaki, Lieutenant…I'm sorry I don't know your name."

"Menoly Mallia." She answered.

"Lieutenant Mallia." Chizu replied with a nod.

"Okay, test one is over, so none of you have the courage to approach me…very well, pair up, and have a fight, I will choose from that." Ichigo said crossing his arms.

"Captain Kurosaki…isn't that unfair? Most of these students are not on the same level."

"If you want something bad enough, you'll push a mountain. That's lesson one."


	2. Chapter 2

"I've made my choice, will the victors step forward?" Ichigo called out at the line of students, half stepped forward. "You all can leave. The rest of you, welcome to squad fourteen." The students were shocked to say the least. A hell butterfly landed on Ichigo's shoulder.

'I heard you wanted to find me. Meet at the remains of Sokyoku Hill. Midnight. Alone.' The message said. Ichigo didn't recognize the voice.

'Weird.' He thought to himself as it flew away.

"Chizu, that Kuchiki boy said you beat him."

"Yes, I'm number one at the academy." She said with an unsure smile.

"Good, sounds like I found myself a nice new addition."

"You aren't going to question me? Say I'm worthless and a cheater?"

"There's no such thing as cheating, just a creative way around a difficult obstacle, and one's worth is determined by them. If you think you're worthless then you are. Do you think you're worthless?"

"I think I'm better than that Kuchiki and he doesn't have the right to call me rat."

"Heh, I'm starting to like you!"

"I'm not used to praise…it feels…good." She said slowly, a small smile growing on her face.

"Captain Kurosaki, why did you choose us?"

"Because it was an excuse to find the ones who aren't the greatest at everything, it just so happens that you were best at everything. You aren't a noble, you don't expect any special treatment, and aren't afraid of me." He spoke to her, then turned to the rest of the students in front of him. "I should tell you now. There are a few arrancar in my squad, if you attack them, you'll be punished, you can go ask the captain of squad five about my punishments. All of you are equal in my eyes. What I'm saying, is…you can be stronger, but you aren't better."

"But you're the strongest." One of them said after a moment of silence, he was tall, shorter than Chizu, she was almost as tall as Ichigo. He had short green hair and light blue eyes.

"I'm under a permanent seal now, I can remove it, but only in a situation that would call for extreme measures. Like a war similar to the one 29 years ag-"

"Captain, they do not know about any of those details, it is a crime to speak of it even." Jutan said frantically when he mentioned the war.

"It's a crime for me to be breathing right now after what I did to the soul society, the least I can do is prevent it from happening again." Ichigo responded to Jutan with a harsh glare.

"Ichigo-sama." Menoly said, pulling on his sleeve, he turned to see her pointing at the Kuchiki boy standing in the doorway with his sword.

"Rat! Fight me! If I win…I take your place!"

"You know what, fine. Come on." Chizu drew her sword and started walking over to him. He charged at her, holding his sword down to swipe up. Chizu flipped her blade and brought it down on his wrist making him drop the sword, she turned around and held up her hand. "Bakudo no 9. Horin! Hado no 33. Sokatsui!" The chains bound him and the blue and white flame engulfed him. When they subsided he broke the Bakudo and sprinted to where his sword was, he grabbed it and his reiatsu flared up.

"Why are you better than me!? I'm a Kuchiki! Kuchiki's are the greatest. Kuchiki's are better! You're from Zaraki, a worthless outcast slave girl! Who happened to be lucky enough to show a pulse of reiatsu now and then! I will exterminate you, Rat! Sprinkled on the bones of the beast! Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring. Move and become the wi-"

"Enough." A hard voice called out. Every student turned to see who it belonged to. Ichigo instead walked over to where the two fighting were, he knew who it was. He punched the boy in the arm making the kido fire off prematurely and at a wall.

"Clan head!" Neiro shouted as he fell to his knees and bowed holding his bruised arm.

"Stand up. Your actions have removed you from becoming the next head. I have already chosen the next head."

"Yo, Byakuya, what are talking about, next head." Ichigo asked as he flash stepped over, wanting to get around the crowd of students.

"I told this boy that if he can get into your squad I would put him in the running for the next head of the Kuchiki clan, I knew he would never be in your squad. Which is why I told him this. Kuchiki is a proud name, Neiro, you would do well to be level headed."

"Clan head…but who is the next head?"

"My son." He said with a strong air about him.

"That…that mix breed…he isn't even born yet!"

"And I don't plan on dying before he can take the position. And if you dare insult mine or Captain Kurosaki's family again, I will behead you."

"His family? I'm your family!"

"You are not my father in law are you? Anyway, I came here to tell Captain Kurosaki that there is something you should see at the site of your old home." He said looking at Ichigo.

"Oh…I guess Menoly can handle the rest. Take them to the barracks and introduce them!" He shouted as he ran out the door.

"But…I…" but it was too late Ichigo had already left, Byakuya was also gone.

"Lieutenant Mallia, please show us to the barracks."

"Didn't say yes…"

…

"What the hell?" Ichigo mumbled to himself as he approached the ruins of his old home. Orihime and ten stealth force members were surrounding a man with a tattered robe on. Long black hair came down the front out of the hood he was wearing. He was standing motionless in a round orb of dark energy.

"Ichigo. Look at the bottom of the robe..." Orihime said as he landed next to her. Ichigo moved to get a closer look. He saw black smoke and flames. Suddenly the ball around him burst and he knelt over. He immediately looked around and stood back up before sending a pulse of black reiatsu over the area, killing the stealth force members and dropping Orihime to her knees, he turned around to look at them.

"This was their plan? Send me to the past…No…you're alive. This isn't the past. Damn you Aizen." The voice belonged to Ichigo. The other Ichigo with the robe removed the hood to reveal the grey bandages covering his face and his dark red eyes.

"What…is…That's me…" Ichigo said as he helped up Orihime.

"Why am I wearing a captain robe?" The other Ichigo mumbled to himself. "You, other me. May I have a word?" He asked as he moved closer.

"Since this isn't the weirdest thing that's happened to me, sure, why not?" Ichigo made a motion with his hand and created a barrier around the other one. "But what do I call you? It's weird saying my own name."

"I suppose it is, but the soul society has dubbed me Mugetsu for long before this."

"I see why, alright Mugetsu, explain why you're here? And why you are me?"

"Captain Commander Sosuke Aizen sent me to what I think is the mirrored world I heard him speak of."

"Wh-what did you just say about Aizen…and other than that…who are you?" Sui-Feng shouted as she arrived with the rest of the stealth force. He started to pulse his reiatsu, but the black wave bounced back at him.

"Sui-Feng, stay behind me, tell your men to stand down. Captains aren't your enemy. Now, tell us about why Aizen is Captain Commander wherever you're from." Ichigo said as Sui-Feng's men retreated back and she appeared next to them.

"I'm not too sure myself. He said something about a mirror when he used his Bankai…oh, and he challenged Genryusai and won, also with his Bankai, have you had any old raggedy men to deal with?"

"More than a few…wait…how long ago did that happen?"

"Don't know… Can you let me out of this barrier…I'm terrible with Kido, so it means you're a master at it I'm guessing?"

"Ichigo is our unofficial Kenpachi, he's the strongest fighter, the best Kido user and the fastest…only I can almost keep up." Sui-Feng said for him.

"I see, and then this truly is an opposite of my world. Who is the Captain Commander here? And may I speak to them?"

"No, you may speak to me, Captain of squad fourteen, everything I do is a reflection of his actions." Ichigo just made that up to get Mugetsu to talk to him and leave any more officials out of this.

"A new squad…strange, in my world there are only twelve. Anyway, I want to go back, kill Aizen and…just die…I can't lead a normal life, earlier when I obliterated those men, I was trying to warn them, my Reiatsu is like a blade going through the heart, as Rukia described it after I accidentally killed…you." He turned to Orihime.

"So, I guess everyone is the same over there? Wait…who started the winter war over there?"

"Shunsui Kyoraku. It was the eighth squad they got rid of after he betrayed everyone."

"You said you killed me." Orihime said as she finished thinking. Before Mugetsu could answer there was an explosion of white light behind him, he turned and shielded his face and there was an orb similar to his but bright blue, there was a woman inside this time. She was Rukia. But she had much longer hair, down to her lower back. Her zanpakuto sheathed at her side.

"No…He got her too…LET ME OUT! I NEED TO HELP HER!"

…

"Chizu, why are you still following me?"

"I'm not comfortable around the other students. You're different. Like me." Chizu said after Menoly turned around. Menoly stared at her for a second.

"We're nothing alike. But…you can follow me if you…what is…who is this, Ichigo-sama?" Menoly rounded a corner to see Ichigo, Mugetsu and Rukia, the regular Rukia standing there talking, Mugetsu was wearing his robe and hood again, but there was a barrier around each of his wrists.

"Oh, Menoly. Hello. This is Mugetsu…he's a friend of mine…"

"Okay…well, the new recruits are all in the Rec Room getting to know each other except for Chizu." Menoly said, but when she turned around Chizu was walking past her up to Mugetsu.

"You're him." She said turning to Ichigo.

"This girl…I've never met her."

"This is Chizu, she's the top out of my new recruits. Come on, Lets go into my office."

"Are you sure she's going to be okay? These seals should make it alright for me to be near the hospital…right?"

"It's fine, if anyone can keep her alive, it's Isane, s-"

"That…that's the mirror he tried to use on me before using his Bankai…"

"It's just an old mirror, or at least that's what I've been told."

"This mirror is a prison." Rukia said. "I might as well tell you since you're getting curious. I'm guessing the thing that isn't opposite about you two is your personality and your power. The reason you are guarding this Mirror Ichigo is because you're the one person we can't trap inside of it. Trust me, I was ordered to try. Only five people alive know how to use it, I'm the one who was ordered though."

"It was...it against me." Mugetsu said as he moved away from the mirror.

"Well, you said that Aizen mentioned a Mirror World, just a shot in the dark, could this Mirror World be the other side of the mirror."

"That's exactly what it is, I was hoping you wouldn't be too curious and start prying." It was Shunsui followed by Nel.

"You…you're, not the evil one."

"I'm evil in Nanao-chan's eyes, but no, not the one you are thinking of." Shunsui said with a chuckle. "I just checked on Mirror Rukia, she's doing fine, might be awake in an hour maybe a day, hard to tell, that's quite the stress you put on her you two."

"Sorry, she was…never mind, I'll leave you two to figure this out. I…"

"The mirror…" The voice of the walls called out.

"Would you shut up already!?" Ichigo shouted at a wall. Shunsui and Mugetsu both looked alarmed. "Don't give me that look, the walls are talking to me, like a little girl's voice keeps coming through, sometimes it belongs to an older girl, sometimes to a younger one, you figure it out, Rukia, Menoly come with me. I'm not dealing with all this, I'm going to pretend it didn't happen."

…

"Hey, Rukia, want to join me? My squad I mean? I'll let you, Loly, Tier and Nel fight it out to see who third seat is."

"As much as I would like that…actually, you know what? Yes, I'll talk to Tatsuki about letting me transfer tonight!" Rukia shouted, and then turned to Menoly. "You don't drink?" She said, flailing her empty mug

"Aizen forced me and Loly to drink alcohol, I never liked it, Loly…I don't know if she did or not?" The girl in a red Kimono who served them came back with a glass of water.

"Ichigo. Thanks for requesting these gigai, increased alcohol tolerance, it's great!" Rukia shouted. Ichigo asked if Rukia wanted to do something, she suggested a bar in the human world so Ichigo forced Terra to make gigai with alcohol tolerance higher than normal.

"I know." Ichigo said before he gulped down another mug.

"Hey there! You look like you need some more company! Mind if I join you?" A woman with a large chest and strawberry blonde hair came up and sat at their table. Rukia and Ichigo were not right in the head so they agreed. "Great thanks, my friends went home without me. What are your names?" She didn't pick up that they were tipsy so Menoly answered.

"His name is Ichigo, she's Rukia, I'm Menoly. Nice to meet you er…"

"Rangiku!" She put her hand down on the table. "Now can either of you two explain what the hell happened to me? I was leading a platoon looking for you in fact, and I wake up in some human's house saying I've lived there for fifteen years, what's going on?"

"R-Rangiku? O-our Rangiku?" Rukia said as she rubbed her eyes. Rangiku poked Rukia in the forehead.

"Yes, and will you also explain why you're out getting drunk with these two instead of your wife?" Rangiku said with a questioning glare.

"Wow…twenty nine years…you haven't changed a bit." Ichigo said as he stood up. "Well, you three coming, or am I going to the beach alone? We can deal with this shit tomorrow!"

…

"YOU FIND MY LIEUTENANT AND DIDN'T CONTACT ME!?"

"Captain you got so big!" Rangiku shouted as she pat him on the head.

"You know what, I was drunk enough to not worry about the dead girl meeting us in a bar and remembering everything. Anyway, I'll leave her with you to…catch up. I need to talk to these…others…" Ichigo left the two of them alone. The second he left, Toshiro dashed at Rangiku and threw his arms around her.

"You moron…" He said. She rubbed his back.

"Nice to see you again, Toshiro." He let go of her and turned around.

"It's Captain Hitsugaya! And you were reborn as a Shinigami…I don't…we never recovered your body…could…" There was a knock at the door before it slid open. It was Momo.

"Shiro-chan, I…Is…Rangiku!" She charged in and tackled Rangiku.

"Oh, Momo! Missed you too, although it only seems like a few days."

"It's been almost thirty years…Oh?" A hell butterfly landed on Momo's shoulder.

'All Captains and Lieutenants report for an emergency meeting.'

…

"You…want me to revive him? I don't think I can do that…I know I can do it to hollows…but, not a Shinigami, not easily, at least, I would need the last sample of his soul if you want me to do that."

"Kisuke, just do it, Terra will get what you need. In the meanwhile, you can use her lab, and stay at the Kido barracks with Ichigo." Shunsui said, he was sitting with the Mirror Shinigami on either side, standing, with Ichigo next to Mugetsu who was no longer wearing his robe, there were barriers on both his wrists from Ichigo again so he could be near the lieutenants without them feeling strain.

"Don't rope me into his antics." Terra said pointing at Urahara.

"You're going to do it, or I'll put you in the mirror." Ichigo said to her without looking at her, she flinched a bit and nodded. She was a bit fearful of him ever since she watched him fight the other day. She even hesitated getting close enough to him to inscribe the seal on his back.

"Captain Commander, I would like to say, his story matches up with the appearance of the former Captain Commander." Byakuya said as he stepped forward and turned to Mugetsu. "Also, why do you have barriers around your wrists?"

"When we found him, his warning killed a bunch of people, he puts out the same Reiatsu that I do, just his…has a more deadly effect, I can do it too, I just don't." Ichigo explained. "And yeah, I figured the same thing. And you probably knew that's what happened…didn't you?" He turned to Shunsui.

"Again, you need to stop prying so deeply into things. And that voice…we got it to say your name. And that's it, again, seek out the Kido Commander, he'll help you out, I hope. Anyway, until we figure out how to send them back, they are staying with you. Meeting dismissed."

…

"Now…explain to my why there are two of you?" Loly asked as she barged into his office as he was filling out paperwork.

"Long story, ask him yourself. He pointed to the back of the room to show him sitting on the couch with the Mirror Rukia sleeping on his lap.

"ON second thought…I noticed that Menoly has taken a liking to you." She sighed and sat in the chair in front of him. "But that doesn't mean I like you at all. I mostly dislike you."

"Well why tell him that?" Mugetsu said from the back.

"He just irritates me, that damn attitude of his." She said crossing her arms before getting up and leaving. "You can play around with Menoly, but leave me out of your shit." She said back as she turned o them before leaving again.

"I never asked, you're pretty close to Rukia, what's the deal?"

"She's my wife. She abandoned the Soul Society to be with me once I was labeled priority target one, eliminate at all costs, she is my everything."

"Same with me and Orihime, I've went through hell, multiple times for her and my family."

"Family. What did Yuzu do when you told her that Shinigami are a thing?" Mugetsu asked, sadness filling his eyes.

"She didn't believe me until I showed her."

"Well…My Yuzu…the next day, she got into Mom's medicine cabinet for the clinic and killed herself, leaving a note saying that she'll see my in the next life. I never saw her."

"M-Mom is alive…over there?"

"Yeah…Dad was killed by a hollow…"

"So can you not…revert back?"

"I can, do you have any spare clothes I can wear?"

"…We're the same person…But…wear this also." He pulled out a small black ring that Urahara gave him from his desk drawer and stood up. "It's a seal, will take you down to a manageable level so I can take those barriers off you. Wake your Rukia; I can force mine to give her a change of clothes so she doesn't have to wear those she came in. Maybe something less…uniform like, since neither of you are actually Shinigami here…" Mugetsu woke Mirror Rukia and they followed him to the Kuchiki Mansion, Ichigo threatening the guards into leaving them alone of course. He was confronted by Byakuya.

"Leave, I did not invite you, or the other you in here." He drew his sword. Ichigo held up his hand, pointing two fingers at Byakuya. And a line of blue energy circled around each. He was taking joy in the knowledge of how to control Reishi into objects.

"We just want to borrow Rukia's clothes, for this Rukia. Would be a shame if a thousand Byakurai were to go off…wouldn't it." Ichigo said with a sly grin, it was a bluff; the things circling his fingers were as strong as a Sho from a first year student. Byakuya was about to sheath his sword when Masaki came running by.

"Dad! Are you sure it's okay…to revive him?" She asked, looking really worried, she heard the stories about him.

"Dad? I see, I don't have children in my world…so you have them here. What's your name?"

"O-oh, why is the other you here?"

"This is my daughter, Masaki. I named her after mom, her sister is around here somewhere, unless she's actually not slacking off in the Kuchiki garden.

"She's beautiful, and a hollow. Deadly combo, like Rukia." He pat her head and she looked up at him like he just gave away a horrible secret.

"Don't look so horrified, they all know you, to a certain extent. And it isn't exactly a secret, you should embrace it."

"Yeah, just kick the hollow's face in when it gets out of control, works for me." Masaki said with a small smile.

"If all you wish is clothes, there is a selection in the room to your left." Byakuya said as he left, annoyed at Ichigo for being so difficult.

…

"You, follow me." Loly said to one of the male recruits. He froze for a second and then followed her. "You are going to do something for me. Get something for me."

"Loly-san…wha-what do you need me to get?"

"The captain's orb thing. I saw it in his quarters, but I can't enter. Some kind of barrier."

"What makes you think I can get in?" He asked. But she didn't answer, once she got around a corner, she slit his throat and hid the body in an empty room. She pressed her finger to her ear.

"Why do you want only males dead? It's getting annoying."

"Are you questioning my motives?"

"N-no Kemosuke-jii-sama…" She went into the room that she hid the body and walked over to one still living. "Okay, Loly-chan, he didn't tell me to kill you…but he didn't say I couldn't…torture you..." Loly started trying to scream as the imposter moved closer. "Scream all you want, I soundproofed this room, the only way anyone could hear you is if they are in this room. Now…maybe I should ruin that cute face of yours…maybe I'll turn you into a sex puppet…maybe I'll send you to Kemosuke-jii-sama…He would be interested in his son's sex slave."

…

"Alright, come out now…" Ichigo announced in the dark area.

"I'm already here, moron." A woman's voice spoke from next to him.

"Holy shit! Wait…the one who told me to come was a guy…" He said after getting over the initial shock of a short purple haired woman appeared next to him.

"There's more Kido than you can hope to learn." She said the first few words in a man's voice.

"Well, will you at least stop using kido to look like her? I don't like that she was killed." He asked, the woman was shocked that he knew she was using kido to alter her appearance. She was taking the form of Yuze. Her face and hair changed to that of an older woman with long gray hair.

"You are sharp, the rumors are true, I won't show you my real form, so this will do."

"Don't talk in rhymes." Ichigo said quickly. "And yeah, I've been looking for you, tell me why the walls are asking for help and saying stuff?"

"That…has been there for centuries. I called her Michiro. She was always going on about helping her, and that damned Mirror of Silver Moon."

"Mirror of Silver Moon. Is that what it's called?"

"Yes, the other two artifacts were added during your little…nap so I can't tell you the names. Nor can I tell you my name. If you wish to speak to me again…" She held her hand up against Ichigo's forehead and her hand started glowing purple. "Okay, we can talk with our minds, but please don't bother me at night, it's really hard for me to stay awake right now, you know. Children need their sleep."

"Children?" Ichigo said as he looked at the woman next to him.

"Hush you. Anyway, go into the Captain's quarters. In the floor there is a secret chamber that will only open with the Kido of the Ancient. Look around in the archives, there's a book I hid there for you. Once inside, the answer to you…talking walls problem, should begin to resolve. Please Help Michiro where I couldn't." And she was gone as fast as she appeared.

"Well…time to deal with…damn, what was her name?"

'Michiko, Bakasaki.' The old Kido Commander's voice rang in his head.

…

"Michiko. Stop it." Ichigo announced, not looking up from his papers, the voice said something about the mirror again.

"Uh…Captain Kurosaki?" The Mirror Rukia said, poking her head into the room.

"Yeah?" He looked up and saw that she was wearing a white and gold Kimono.

"It's late and I can't sleep very well, might be the change of scenery, do you mind if I stay in here with you?"

"Sure, why not the…other me?"

"He's meditating in the garden. " She said after a yawn, she stumbled over the bottom of the Kimono. Ichigo stood up and walked over to her.

"Here, let me help you." He pushed her down on the couch and ripped the bottom of her Kimono.

"WH-WHY DID YOU DO THAT?"

"You could barely walk."

"B-but it isn't mine…and the Kuchiki's have always been…not friendly…"

"Oh, Rukia won't mind. Because Rukia is wearing Rukia's clothes so it would mean Rukia ripped Rukia's clothes. She cant blame Ichigo because he was meditating in the garden."

"You're having too much fun with this situation." The regular Rukia said as she walked in. "And, I'm not even going to bother yelling at you again." She sat down next to the other Rukia. "Honestly, how can you stand being in love with this Moron, they are copies of each other."

"What did you do together after going ice skating for the first time?"

"We went home I think…" Ichigo answered.

"We went out to dinner and then saw a late movie, he…you…he, whatever…My Ichigo told me he had feelings for me. And I fell into his evil clutches and became a tool in his devious game." She made some hand motions waving her arms around frantically, Rukia and Ichigo laughed for a while with her.

"Captain! Come quickly!" Chizu shouted as she threw open the door, he ran out after her and down the hall and around the corner to a room with four dead bodies and Loly tied up with cut marks all over her face and arms, her hair was burned in some places and her Shihakusho was stained with her blood.

"Ah shit! Loly! What happened?"

"I-I d-don't know! I was thinking about asking you what I should do since I was getting bored, and then I woke up in here and I saw myself bringing dead bodies in with...me…it's been three days…" She started crying as Ichigo untied her, her tears mixed with the blood from the still open wounds and it looked like she was crying blood.

"Okay, calm down…Chizu." He turned back to Chizu and looked up to her. "Go find Menoly, tell her to come here." He said that and she ran off, a hell butterfly landed on his finger to send a message to Shunsui. He thought that this other Loly came from the same place.

"She…said a name…Kemosuke." Loly said as Ichigo stood up to see if Menoly was there yet. He turned around rapidly and grabbed her.

"Kemosuke…Kemosuke Aizen!? Oh shit, oh shit! Shit!" Ichigo ran out of the room, nearly knocking over Menoly he ran out to the garden and found Mugetsu meditating, Ichigo brought him out of the state and started shouting. "DID YOUR AIZEN HAVE A SON!?"

"Wh-what the hell? No, ours has two daughters…both are arrancars. I never learned their names though."

"Ah shit!" Ichigo jumped up and ran to Loly's quarters and found her sleeping peacefully, he could still hear sobbing from down the hall, he went in and put his hand on her head and pulsed his Reiatsu, she woke up screaming but fell silent. She wasn't dead but unconscious, the seal Terra put on him put him at about Kenpachi's sealed level when calm. He picked her up and carried her back to the room where Menoly, Chizu, Rukia and Loly were and dropped her on the floor. "Here. I found her. I would kill her, but I don't know anything about how she got here, maybe they can interrogate her."

'You fool. Forget about these copies and deal with Michiko.' The Kido Commander shouted in his mind.

'Damn it, tell me something to call you.'

'Minerva. That's the name I'll use for you.'

'Okay, Minerva, I think these two are linked somehow? Like maybe Michiko is someone stuck between the worlds? Anyway, how can I get her to talk to me?'

"Captain, should I alert the squad?" Chizu asked curiously, sitting a way away from the others.

"Eh…no. It's too much that you know, keep it to yourself, you don't talk to anyone, so I can guess that won't be hard. The squad will be told that these four were transferred. Leave it at that. Tomorrow I'll…"

"Ichigo…Kurosaki. Help me please." It was Michiko.

"Michiko, tell me how I can talk to you easier, this is really important, okay?" He was talking like that because it was a small girl's voice.

"Library…Ancients…Kido…"

"That voice…she talks more and more when you're in the barracks, Ichigo-sama." Menoly said, she never leaves the barracks unless ordered so she always hears it.

"Rukia, get the other you and…Chizu, come with me, we're going to look in the library here, if we cant find anything we're headed to the Archives." Rukia nodded and ran out of the room, Chizu grabbed her left arm with her right and squeezed.

"Captain…why me?"

"For the last time, I'm a friend, you can stop being such a closed shell, and plus, you're awake, and not mentally broken at the moment. And I need help…You going to be okay, Loly?" He asked, turning back to her, she nodded in Menoly's arms. "Alright, you two can sleep in my quarters tonight, I'm going to be out all night figuring out this Ancient Kido stuff and whatever Michiko is."

"Library, Ancient, Kido."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, calm down." Ichigo talked as he left the room with Chizu.

…

"I can't believe it…This is some type of…I can't even fathom…what language…is this a language?" They found the book on ancient Kido, but the spells are written in some archaic language of symbols.

'You awake?'

'Asshat, leave me alone until the sun comes up!' Minerva shouted back at him after a few seconds.

"Captain, this language…isn't anything I've ever seen, we've read every book here, and that's the only one on Ancient Kido. None of these are even translator books." Chizu said as she lazily stumbled over a pile of open books.

"Book. Mirror Shock." Michiko shouted from the walls, which she has been repeating for about an hour.

"Yes, we get it. Can't read it, but we have the book. Chizu, wake the two Rukia, tell them they can go to their quarters, you can too…I need to head to squad twelve."

"Thank you captain." She said with a yawn.

…

"Alright…how do I use this…" Ichigo was sitting in front of a large monitor, he heard something but ignored it.

"Captain Kurosaki. May I help you?"

"Great, Nemu, come here." He asked, not turning around to see her. She walked over to him.

"What do you need? It's very early in the morning, the sun hasn't come up yet."

"Can you translate this book for me? I think it has something to do with the Mirror people." He turned around and immediately turned back once he noticed she wasn't wearing any clothes. "And why aren't you wearing anything?"

"Mayuri-sama always prefer I sleep in the nude, the habit has lingered. This book. Kido of the Ancients. An advance into the world of the Ancient Mirror Kingdom of Lanaxu."

"You read this?"

"This is the only known form of a hollow writing system. It's existence has been traced back tens of thousands of years, but use of it died down eight thousand years ago, which is why there are no other books with it available to the public."

"Hollows have a writing system?" Ichigo asked, taken back by her responses. Still not looking at her.

"We believe hollows once were a very civilized being, similar to Shinigami, just created differently. They used tools, had society, even from we saw, a religion. The ruins are buried now…thousands of feet under the remains of Las Noches from the results of my latest scan."

"That…wonderful…Hueco Mundo. So, do me a favor and translate that, I need to know the Kido in this book."

"No. It's punishable by death to even be speaking of the Ancients. I suggest you find another means of translating."

"Wait…why do you know how to read this anyway?"

"Mayuri-sama programmed me with every known language." Ichigo didn't pay her any mind as he walked away. Then something hit him.

'Mugetsu said Aizen didn't have a son…then who the hell is Kemosuke…and what is he over there?'

…

"Okay, fall asleep one more time and I'll make you eat your legs." Ichigo said as he woke Urahara up for the ninth time.

"Yeah, whatever…Hollowed is so boring though, translating it is a pain…"

"I'll let you perform experiments on the other me…"

"Well, what are you wasting time for, let's finish this!" Urahara sprang up and grabbed his pen.

…

"Loly-chan…" Menoly mumbled to herself as she watched Loly sleep in the large bed, after she got her cleaned up, she changed her into the white robe they got from the squad four hospital.

"Hey, is she okay?" Nel asked softly as she came in. She stumbled upon them as they made their way to Ichigo's quarters and said she would stop by when she woke up.

"Nelliel-sama."

"Please, call me Nel, everyone else does." She said with a little smile.

"O-Okay, Nel…I think so, it took me half an hour to get her to let go of me this morning. What that…other her must have done to her."

"Do you love her? As more than just your sister, do you love her?" Nel asked, putting a hand on Menoly's shoulder. She remained silent for a few minutes, until Nel got up. "Well, if you need someone to talk to…you know where I'll be."

"I do. I do love her…and I vow…to kill whoever made this happen." At Menoly's confession Nel couldn't help but smile a little, it reminded her of Ichigo and how he vowed to protect those dear to him. She noticed the tear streaming down Menoly's check and felt one fall down hers as she left the room.

"Menoly…too." Loly said in her sleep then rolled over to face away from Menoly who stood up and climbed into the bed with her.

"I promise…anyone hurts you…they will die by my hands."

…

"Raise all creation, all my power, seep the world. The time is now, rise from your dwelling, and come forth once more, from the world of not I. Brethren of the damned, I call thee forth, the time for thy awakening is upon us, rise though you may fall, I summon the Mirror World come forth and open for your master." Ichigo said, holding a book with translations in one hand and the other hand out in front of him with the first two fingers pointing up. There was a small light forming in the middle of the room but it dissipated and Ichigo fell down panting.

"Well you did something." Urahara said as he tilted his hat back.

"Open. Open." Michiko called out, she sounded happier this time, but her voice was a bit distorted.

"Michiko, if that opens…you can get through?" Ichigo asked, on his knees panting.

"Open!" She shouted loudly. The door slid open to reveal Tier, Nel, and Arema.

"We'll give you the strength to do it since you're under that seal." Tier spoke as the three of them put their hands on his back. He stood up and started building power on the tips of his fingers, he could feel the power flowing through from the other three.

"Raise all creation, all my power, seep the world. The time is now, rise from your dwelling, and come forth once more, from the world of not I. Brethren of the damned, I call thee forth, the time for thy awakening is upon us, rise though you may fall, I summon the Mirror World come forth and open for your master." This time two mirror coated doors appeared and slowly opened, a blonde girl, looking maybe in her twenties stepped out, she had red feathers on her head that looked like they were made of bone, and a purple mask fragment over her eyes that were a rich shade of blue.

"Hello. Ichigo Kurosaki. I've waited to speak to you without having to use a massive amount of my power to get two or three words across and not know if they reach you."

"You're an…arrancar?"

"No. I am an Ancient, as you call them. I'm from the tribe of the first hollows." She said with a soft smile as she started to walk forward. The other three hollow girls were just staring in awe.

"You speak…normally…and you have a mask fragment, why is it purple?"

"Sorry, it isn't the easiest thing to do to translate my words so you can understand them, I'm what you would call a princess." She tilted her head and smiled a bit.

"Wait, changing subject. You came from the same place as the other…me and Rukia?"

"Yes, although, is what I heard is true, and this…Aizen can use the Mirror Kido from his Bankai. That is a problem, there are other Ancients that aren't as kind as I am that he can send over. Oh, nice to finally meet you, Commander." She said, looking down and past them. Minerva was standing behind them, this time she was a short old woman with red hair.

"You finally helped her, good job, moron." She moved past Ichigo and up to Michiko. "What is your real name?"

"My name is Kurohime, or at least that's what you all can call me. Sorry for deceiving you for so long, Commander, that was one of our Ancient Kido that I used to implant a message in the past. This is the real me, I'm barely older than Ichigo."

"Wait, can we send people to the other side? Stop Aizen from sending hollows and assassins?"

"You can, but it would require a tremendous force…from what it took to bring me here, I would say you're not going to be efficient about it."

"Well, I guess if efficiency won't cut it…" He removed the top half of his shihakusho to reveal an intricate seal inscribed on his back. "Sorry Terra, your seal has got to go…" He started glowing in a black and red aura, the lines of the seal started to smoke with a white gas, eventually they all disappeared. He lift a finger to summon a few captains.

…

"So, who's up for a road trip? Be prepared to find some hollows that don't like Shinigami, but are…different. They are the first hollows. They have an advanced Kido that I barely got to work."

"Fuck it, I'm going, anyone else!?" Kenpachi roared as he stepped forward.

"I'm coming to. You're incompetent on your own." It was Minerva, back as an old woman.

"Who is that?" Some of the others mumbled.

"None of your business, come on, we already have five. One more will be enough." Minerva answered without turning around.

"I will." It was Koko. "It's my turn to prove what a Kurosaki can do."

"That's my girl." Ichigo said before turning to the others in the crowd. "Everyone! Expect us to return. But with Aizen's head on a spike! And I will see what everyone's opposite is like also."

"Yeah, you do that. I'm not expecting much since nobody wants to go across a mirror." Shunsui said with no enthusiasm.

"Whatever, you three good?" He asked the Mirror Ichigo and Rukia, along with Kurohime. They nodded. "You two?" He turned to see Koko sitting on Kenpachi's shoulder. "Eh." They nodded.

"Hurry up." Minerva said as she hit him with her cane.

"Raise all creation, all my power, seep the world. The time is now, rise from your dwelling, and come forth once more, from the world of not I. Brethren of the damned, I call thee forth, the time for thy awakening is upon us, rise though you may fall, I summon the Mirror World come forth and open for your master." A massive mirrored door opened up and the group walked through as it shut.

…

"What…"Ichigo began.

"The…" Koko continued.

"Hell…" Kenpachi finished. They came out in the center of Kurohime's village and they were surrounded.

"Kenpachi, please let me try this diplomatically." Ichigo pleaded, Kenpachi grunted in displeasure. The hollows around them were speaking some insane language that Ichigo could only guess that it is the Hollowed language that Nemu told him about.

"Please, everyone, speak this language. They are not enemies." Kurohime said as she revealed herself after taking her hood off.

"We thought you were gone!"

"And you brought Mugetsu and…Mugetsu…there are two of them?"

"Well, you know the other side of the Mirror…they…whatever no time to explain. We need the Book of Archemoius. Ancients Seven Eight Four."

"Yes…right away..." A tall male snapped his fingers and the book was brought to her. she opened it and started reciting something and then put her hands on both Ichigo's heads.

"There. You will no longer be effected by illusions. Now go." She opened a garganta and they were sucked in.

…

"She's such a bitch, where'd you find that one?" Kenpachi asked as he jumped from the tree he landed in. they were in what looked like the squad thirteen courtyard. They could hear the signature wooden alarm going off warning of intruders. Within seconds they were surrounded by members of squad thirteen including the captain. Jushiro.

"Who are you, what do…you…you…what are you doing here? I told you it isn't safe here for you anymore! And…no…he sent you through…and you…" He turned from Mugetsu to Ichigo, and back to Mugetsu a couple times. He lifted his finger for a hell butterfly.

'False alarm.' And it flew away.

"Come inside, this is bad…and you, you I can only imagine what you are doing here." He was referring to Kenpachi. Once they got into his office, Mugetsu and Ichigo explained, or tried to explain what happened.

"I see…I do notice the remains of a captain coat on this one." He pointed to Ichigo whose coat was just a sleeve at this point. "In your world, are you a popular captain? Our Ichigo is a detested outcast and wanted criminal."

"Popular…you have no idea, this guy is the focus of half the females, I can't compete." Kenpachi said with an annoyed face.

"Since here you are captain of squad four…what are you over there?"

"Captain of squad eleven, strongest." Ichigo let out a small chuckle. "Shut up, you aren't real."

"Well, I do admire your plan…killing Captain Commander to stop him from sending assassins and copies to your world…you said he's using Ancient Kido…that should be impossible, only hollows can use that…unless…" He was startled by a banging on the door. "Wh-who is it?"

"It's me, Retsu, I felt him come back! Is it real?" She said, calmly, her personality is the same, everyone thought.

"Oh…good, come in." He said with a sigh of relief. She ran in and was startled by two Ichigo's staring back at her, one with a white coat sleeve hanging off him.

"This…you didn't…please tell me you brought him here under a projection?"

…

"Oh, in that case no." Mugetsu answered bluntly at her explination, she let out a sigh.

"Then you three can only survive here for about eight hours."

"Well that's seven hours longer than I need. Can you call an emergency meeting for all officers, I want everyone to watch as I strip you of your corrupt leader."

"He isn't corrupt. He is a strong, wise person. Just his methods are a bit extreme. And he probably felt you two come back. I don't think he knows there are two of you since you're together. Undoubtedly he knows she is here." Retsu said pointing at Koko. "Who is she anyway?"

"One of my daughters. Now…make everyone go there."

…

"What is the reason you called us here, Captain Unohana?" Aizen asked from his chair.

"The intruders earlier, I heard it was just a false alarm, but a garganta did open over squad thirteen's barracks. I propose we up the power of our barriers. Before something bad happens." She said, slightly turning to him.

"I see, and even though you heard it was a false alarm, you were seen moving at near full speed to those barracks. Why?"

"Just to be sure that nothing bad has happened to Captain Ukitake."

"And as you see, I'm fine. I just have a slight cold."

"So what do you propose we do with this…lack of barrier strength, Captain Kurotsuchi?"

"I have been working on a way to nu-" He was interrupted by an explosion at the door sendind them flying off to the sides. Standing there were both Ichigo and Mugetsu on either side of Koko, Kenpachi was standing in the back. Koko had her mask on.

"Hmm…You found a way to come back. How cute." Aizen said as he pushed his hair back and stood up drawing his zanpakuto. "Bankai. Kyoka Suigetsu." His sword turned into a blade of mirror. "Open. Gate of the Ancients, Desto, arise." A mirrored door opened above him and a large man with half his face covered in a smooth red hollow mask.

"I'll take this one." Kenpachi said as he ran over and kicked it through a wall and chased it down.'

"Aizen, you are going to pay for what you did. You may not have been the source of everyone's problems here. But you're the source of too many problems where I'm from, and you know Mirror Kido which in itself is enough reason for me to kill you."

"I suppose you're the one from the other world since you wear our coat."

"You and Koko keep everyone else at bay. I want to fight him." Ichigo told Mugetsu right before he flash stepped over to Aizen, grabbed his face and threw him through the hole in the wall.

"It's useless, you've fought with me countless times. You've never won."

"You forget something about Mirrors, Aizen. Everything is backwards on the other side. Bankai." After an explosion that blew away two buildings Ichigo was revealed standing there with his Bankai. Aizen held his zanpakuto facing the ground, a wave of purple energy washed over Ichigo but dissipated. "Not going to work, you aren't the only one who knows Mirror Kido. Also, I memorized the book of Lanaxu. Not that I'm going to use it." Ichigo was hoping a bluff would discourage him. He was wrong.

"You talk too much." Aizen flashed over to Ichigo and slashed his chest before he could notice.

'He's fast.' Ichigo thought as he jumped back and held his hand up, he fired a massive Raikoho at Aizen which of course caught him by surprise and fell to the ground as it hit.

"You are the opposite. I didn't expect you to use any kido, let alone such a high level without speaking. This should be fun."

…

"So, Mugetsu…or should we call you Ichigo. You don't usually leave that form, so…" Retsu began.

"I don't care at this point. You could call me Ichigo and the other Captain Kurosaki. Over there, he's the strongest at everything, I can't even use Hado 1. I hope he knows what will happen when Aizen gets serious, he's going to use the Hogyoku."

"Well, I wonder. If you say he's the strongest. It should…what is this power…" Ukitake said as darkness washed over them and forced them to their knees. They looked up to where the fight was going on and saw Ichigo standing there, or they thought it was Ichigo, he was wearing his mask, but his right arm and zanpakuto were coated in ice and his mask gave off a black flame like energy.

"Well, I certainly can't do that." Mugetsu said as he scratched the back of his head. "Is…Rukia can't do that…" He mentioned at the sight of Ichigo fire a cero from the tip of his sword.

"Have any of you tried to put him in the mirror?" Koko asked as she walked over to them.

"No, we haven't. He never shared who could use it."

"Well, in our world, I'm one of the five who can. My father doesn't know it though, and the way he made Aizen get away from us, means he really doesn't want…Captain Kuchiki, look out!" She shouted as she jumped in front of him and took a stray blast from a Bala. She fell to the ground as her uniform smoldered. Ichigo felt it hit something, he looked and saw her lying on the ground, and the opening was enough for Aizen to strike him down.

"Honestly. You moron, I told you not to be so…rash." Minerva said, appearing beside his bleeding body. "You're probably going to be out of fighting condition for a while, we're leaving." She put her hands together and a row of white orbs appeared behind her, when they opened them revealed Kenpachi and Koko along with two empty ones for Minerva and Ichigo.

…

"Honestly, you're a moron."

"Minerva? What happened?"

"Aizen cut your heart in half, it took four days to stop the bleeding alone." She said as she stood up from her chair. She was now a small girl with white hair and pink eyes with a blue bow in her hair.

"You look weird, is that what you actually look like?"

"Two hundred years ago, yes." She said with a smile. She moved to the door and opened it. "He's awake!" She shouted, Yumai and Orihime ran in, Koko followed after a minute. Orihime through her arms around him sobbing.

"When she brought you back…there was so much blood…I…can't lose you…not again!"

"O-Orihime…please…let go…I think you just re broke my ribs…"

"Ah! Sorry!"

"Dad, you shouldn't have gone there so quickly. You have no information about it there. And obviously they are stronger than you."

"No. It is only Aizen, there aren't any hostile ones there. A few of the Ancients don't like us but other than that…"

"Stop talking, you're still not even supposed to be awake, and if you try and get up, you'll probably die." Minerva turned and looked at Koko for a second, she was annoyed that since they got back she's been sulking. Minerva decided to watch them, she felt it was amusing. She grabbed her and pulled her over to his bed. "You, stop with that crappy attitude, it's bringing me down."

"Koko, I know that look, I've made it too many times not to. It isn't your fault. I thought the other captains would be hostile to me so I put you two on guarding them. I guess they weren't. None of you should have been involved. I'll head back and bring him here. There are some people I'm sure would love to kill him."

"Yeah…I guess so…" She smiled even though he didn't really help her. She was just happy that he wasn't mad at her.

"And you said show everybody what a Kurosaki can do. You took my attack and survived. That says something. Hey, are you going to tell me who Arema's father is?"

"Oh…I thought I told you…It's Kenpachi."

"No…No…he's like…three feet taller and ten times your weight."

"Love is blind."

"That…yeah, well are you married to him?"

"He isn't the type to slow down."

"H-how did this happen?" Ichigo asked still in disbelief.

"One night, we were both drunk…" Ichigo wiped the rest of this story from his mind. "And when I found out I was pregnant, I told him and he said he would help raise it but wouldn't get married. Are you listening?"

"K-Koko-chan…that…was oddly detailed to tell your father…" Orihime said as she stumbled away after the story. "I…Need…I'll be at the hot springs…forgetting that."

"Well, as long as you're happy, I don't care, same with the fact that your daughter is a pornstar."

"W-what?" She asked, stumbling over his words.

"Oh, never mind, I thought you knew." Ichigo was laughing in his mind as she sprinted out of the room.

"You have a nice family. Your daughters are going to have a fun time raising the boys." Minerva said, appearing next to his bed.

"Will you stop doing that?" Ichigo shouted at her, she backed up a bit, a little startled.

"Jeez, I hide in the walls when it's too crowded, I can't deal with people normally."

"Oh…WAIT. YOU SAID BOYS."

"Oh, right, I guess she was too busy crying and dealing with that story to remember. About a day…yeah I think it was yesterday, you were still unconscious, I was watching from the walls and she came in and told you that you were having two twin boys and both were hollow."

"Oh wow…"

…

"I gave you a hard time before, I know…but…I'm sorry, are you okay?" Tier was sitting in the garden with Menoly and Loly. She was in a tree, Menoly was sitting next to the pond with Loly.

"I'm fine now…just…I…don't know. I forgive you, and…" Loly started coughing.

"Loly-chan…"

"Ah, sorry, sleeping in that bed got me sick I think." She said after coughing a bit more.

"You two do know he had sex in that bed the night before…right?"

"Now I know I'm sick!" Loly said sulking a bit.

"Hey, you know what, I think we could be friendly to each other. Want to go to the beach? If I remember where his house was we can stay at Ichigo's old house on the beach in the human world."

"Harribel-san." Minerva said, appearing beside her in the tree causing her to fall.

"Ow…What…who are you anyway? I saw you at the gate…but…"

"Just call me Minerva…I'm a friend of Ichigo's."

"Okay…what did you want?"

"To go to the beach with you!" She said with a childish smile.

"Fine…you didn't have to pop up like that…you're worse than Ichigo when he could teleport…"

"Hey!" A voice called from the roof. It was Shuhei smiling down at the two arrancar near the pond. He jumped down and sat between them.

"Oh…Hisagi-san."

"What's with that depressed tone." He asked with an annoyed face.

"Oh, sorry, we were headed to the beach. Would you like to come?"

"Ah…yeah why not. All this clone shit and with him in recovery hanging around bothering Isane even feels gloomy. You mind if I invite a few people?"

…

"Oh…it's raining…" Rangiku said with a pout.

"So? It's just water." Masaki said. "Tier, let's head to the house first, we can wait for it to stop raining, I prefer the sun!"

"Oh…fine, Hisagi!" She shouted sharply as she turned around to see him talking to two younger girls.

"Sorry! Force of habit!" He shouted as he ran back over to them.

"Honestly, first you try to get with Orihime, then the arrancars Ichigo brought back with him…and now those two human girls. And I'm pretty sure these two are lesbians!" She shouted, pointing at Loly and Menoly, who were huddled under an awning. They all went into town to get swim suits. Loly blushed and Menoly grumbled about something. "See?"

"You're leaving out a few women…Ti-chan." He ran his finger on the bottom of her chin and she blushed madly. The others, Renji, Rangiku, the Numeros, Minerva and Masaki just burst out laughing. Ulquiorra was there too but he was off to the side staring miserably up at the sky. Masaki forced him to come with them.

"Shuhei, tell me how you managed to land such a prude like her?" Rangiku said patting his back.

"She was depressed about Ichigo slipping into a coma thirty years ago, I consoled her…one thing led to another, and we ended up having sex next to his lifeless body."

"WOULD YOU SHUT UP!?" Tier punched the back of his head and knocked him into a man who was passing by. "Oh my god so sorry…YOU!" it was Uryuu.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" He said, fixing his glasses as he stood up.

"You probably don't remember me…I'm…/'Ichigo's girlfriend' from all those years ago. You were drunk so I doubt you re…" She stopped when she noticed he was laughing.

"K-Kurosaki…he couldn't land someone like you if his life depended on it. I don't know you but I needed that laugh, come by the Star Lounge, it's a club I own, you guys should come by if you're his friends. At the door say Ishida is expecting you. Anyway, I need to get out of the rain, excuse me." He continued walking past them and kept laughing.

"So, I wasn't the only one to explore your palace." Shuhei said right before he got a fist to the jaw.

"One more word about that and I'll make sure you need a straw to eat!"

"You people are so strange…" Minerva said as she came out of the store.

"Umm…Tier-san…People are staring…" Menoly said with a slight blush. Tier turned around and saw people standing on the street staring at them.

"Okay! I get it! Let's go back to the house…How long you think we should stay, it isn't fun just one day." Tier said as she started walking, dragging the others with her.

"Well, I was talking with my dad, they told him that he shouldn't even move for a week. How about…four or five days?"

"I'm fine with whatever you want. Masaki-sama." Ulquiorra finally spoke. He was standing a few feet behind her. She grabbed his wrist and made him walk next to her.

"You finally say something. Wonderful. Yeah, five days sounds good. Hmm…if I remember correctly…there are only four bedrooms and there are…nine of us…"

"Oh damn, I guess you and Rangiku have to share a room with me!" They both turned and glared at him.

…

"You done being dead yet?" Someone asked Ichigo as he woke up.

"Wha…what are…why are you back here?" It was the Mirror Rukia, Mugetsu was sleeping in the chair in the corner.

"Well, after you…well everyone thought you were dead, you left more blood on the ground than there should have been in your body. Anyway, I hid at squad thirteen, but Aizen found me and he sent me right back here. Mugetsu found a way to Hueco Mundo and convinced the tribe of Ancients that we found to send him back…oh and Kurohime came back as well, she's talking to that research department woman…Nemu…I think her name was."

"Why did she come back…?" He tried sitting up but was stopped by her.

"Isane said that if you tried to get up to hold you down. You're not in a state to move, you need to understand that. Oh…and when I saw that you can use ice…I was amazed. My Ichigo can't do that."

"Well, I can't switch into that form the way he can so…" Ichigo yawned a bit. "This medicine she's having me take it keeps putting me back to sleep. Can you do me a favor? Find Orihime for me…tell her to talk to Koko, I can tell her smile was fake." He said as he shut his eyes, Rukia smiled a bit and nodded before leaving.


	3. Chapter 3

"You…how did this happen…" Tier said to herself. It actually ended up with her sharing a room with Shuhei and Rangiku.

"Oh…and there's only one bed." Rangiku said, Tier turned in horror to see that the second bed was gone.

"I hate you." She said to Shuhei. "I'm sleeping downstairs." She stormed out of the room. Shuhei noticed there was a tear in her eye as she left so he followed her.

"Hey, I'm you know…I'm sorry." Thunder rumbled in the distance as she turned around, tears in her eyes.

"Why did…why did you have to say that…I was weak…and you…took advantage of that…"

"I know it was a bad thing to do…to say…I'm sorry I didn't know how much you hated me for it…you smiled all day earlier."

"Because Menoly invited you and I don't like to show anger in front of Masaki. Just…go back to your room."

"I…Ti…"

"GO BACK TO YOUR ROOM."

"Come on man. Leave her alone." It was Renji from the top of the stairs. Shuhei clenched his fists as he walked past him, Renji walked over to her. "You okay? You know he means well, he was just having fun."

"It's not that…I told him to never tell anybody that happened…Why is he such…What are you doing?" She asked as he put his arms around her.

"When Rukia is sad about something or mad, I just hold her. IT might not help but at least you can have someone. I know you like Ichigo, I know that you would prefer this to be him, but…"

"No, it's fine, thank you." She pushed him away and looked out a window. It was still raining. "I'm going to go for a walk…tell Masaki I want her to come with, I'll be outside." Incredibly loud thunder rumbled. "On second thought…" She stopped when he started laughing. "What's so funny?"

"You're an idiot for wanting to go outside in the first place."

"Hey, have you noticed how close Ichigo and Rukia have gotten since he woke up?" Renji sighed when she said it.

"Yeah…I have…she even joined the squad…"

'Should I tell him what I heard her say at the party?'

"But if you think about their past, I know they love each other as siblings, hell I don't think she loves me as much as him, I mean…I'm not the one who saved her life on multiple occasions." He wouldn't admit it but he was doubting her feelings.

"You know…I don't understand love…I know that my heart beats faster when he's talking with me…is that it? or am I simply experiencing a school girl's crush phase."

"Those don't last like fifty years or however long you've been around us. I think you're more in an infatuation than a crush. You don't get nervous talking to him, from what I've seen. So…I don't know, I cant understand the female heart." He said rubbing the back of his head.

"That's because you got with Rukia. She's an open book." Rangiku said coming down the stairs. "Tier, is there any alcohol in here?"

"Damn you haven't changed. And the thing is, you coming back isn't even as shocking as there being a world on the other end of the mirrors." Renji said.

"Rangiku…" Tier began with a sigh. "I don't want to have alcohol around here with Hisagi…"

"He said he was going to come down and talk to you again so I tied him to the bed post. He's so stupid sometimes, and I'm kicking him out so you can share the bed with me. I would rather it be you instead of him."

"No it's fine. I've had enough of that bed the last time I was here."

"Oh that's right, that's when you and Ichigo…oops sorry."

"She's in love with him Rangiku." Renji said. Tier punched him in the face and went over and dropped down on the couch.

"There's something in here with us…" Minerva said, coming out of the kitchen.

"What do you mean by that…" Renji asked, still unsure of the little girl with them.

"I don't know what it is…not Shinigami, not a hollow, not human no not a quincy, I cant really tell…you don't feel it?"

"Nope." The three of the answered in unison.

"This gigai must be malfunctioning…" Nobody knew how right she was, they were being watched.

…

"You're almost as scary as dad." Arema said to Koko.

"He isn't a hollow." Koko said with a smirk.

"I was thinking about stopping. So I guess I will stop. I'll have to pass the torch then! My fans will be disappointed though."

"Well your fans can come talk to me if they don't like it. Don't smear the Kurosaki name further than your grandfather. And it's up to you, Tatsuki-chan, and his two sons to bring glory back to our name."

"Two sons?"

"Yeah they haven't been born yet." Koko said as she stood up.

"Koko! Where the hell are you?" Sui-Feng mumbled as she walked past the room they were in.

"Over here captain!" She shouted at the hall, Sui-Feng came back and entered the room.

"Oh Arema, you should go see Ichigo. He might not have been around for you, but he's here now. And Koko. You have another punishment mission. He's hiding out in the words past north 78. You'll know him when you see him. Very fat man, stupid haircut, lazy…an oaf."

"Is that your old lieutenant?"

"Yes, turns out ever since you beat him he's been running a slave ring out there. And as head of the Punishment force you're expected not to kill him, but put him in Maggot's Nest since he was a Shinigami."

"Yes Captain. And you, Are-chan go talk to my father. Tell him you quit that stupid underground thing. Captain, where are his last known whereabouts?" Koko asked as she followed Sui-Feng.

"I don't know. Just go kill him. North 78, forest, he's really fat, you don't need much to find him. follow the stench of fat."

"You really don't like him."

"No. I don't. I'm not getting into it, but there was a reason I set you to fight him, I said if he proves his worth and beats a Kurosaki he could stay lieutenant."

"I'm not a real Kurosaki…"

"Hah, the way you desipline your men and daughter you are, and you can deal with loving Kenpachi. And your tiny body can handle…"

"Captain!" Someone ran up shouting.

"What is it?"

"Lady Yoruichi and her daughter are here to see you."

"Y-Yoruichi-sama? Came to see me? O-oh, and Koko, don't bother bringing him to me, just take or destroy his zanpakuto and throw him in the Maggot Nest."

…

"Oh, hey." Ichigo said as Kurohime came in as Isane left.

"You're badly hurt. I don't know any healing Kido. Sorry."

"No it's fine…I meant to ask you something…who is Kemosuke…over in your world?"

"Kemosuke…" She put her hand to her chin to think as she sat down.

"Kemosuke Aizen to be precise. Ah it hurts to breathe…" He said with a chuckle.

"That…he's an old man that lives in Hueco Mundo, I think he's actually Sosuke Aizen's father. His two daughters are always coming and going…"

"Oh…so he isn't the son…alright. Thank you…If you don't mind, I'm going to sleep now…" He smiled a bit before shutting his eyes.

"You're no fun, and I came all the way here to talk with you." Kurohime said as she stood up.

"What do you mean…came to talk to me?"

"In my past life…you know who I was." She didn't give him any more information than that. "Kurosaki-kun." And she left Ichigo to think about that as he fell asleep.

…

"Horse. Heal me."

"Hell no, and why are you calling me horse?"

"Well what the hell do I call you, you were spouting off that you're my horse." Ichigo shouted at the stubborn being before him.

"Shiro is fine. Damn you're so weak, I'll heal you once, next time you're on your own, but I'm only healing you enough to walk around because laying there doing nothing is pathetic. Now get out." Ichigo found himself staring up at the ceiling in his room, he sat up and didn't feel the same pain as earlier, he started to stand up and then he left the room.

"You idiot I told you to not move from that bed!" Isane shouted as she carried a body into a room. Ichigo stumbled a bit and followed her.

"I'm fine to walk. Trust me. What happened to them?" He asked, pointing to the two unconscious men on the beds.

"They ran into your daughter. And tried to stop her from taking down her target."

"Oh…they ran into Koko…right, unless the others have taken an intrest in hunting as well."

"No, it was her…are you sure you're fine, you shouldn't be able to even sit up…poor soul…" She said as she realized the one she was examining died. She moved to the other one, he was dead too.

"These two…were they the only ones she hurt?"

"They were…were as in not anymore, the only survivors from her mission."

"Damn, what was her mission."

"She didn't say, while you were out cold she came with these two and someone in a bag behind her and drug him away, he was still alive though."

"I feel sorry for her trophy catch, anyway, I'm off." He turned to leave her with the casualties.

"Oh, Loly, Menoly, tier, Rangiku, Masaki, Minerva, Renji, Ulquiorra and Shuhei are all in the human world, so don't expect to find them."

"Wow…I guess I'll go find Kurohime…see what she was going on about earlier…" He tripped over his feet but caught himself. He looked out at the garden and saw her sitting under a tree looking at the sky. He walked up to her.

"The sky in the Sereitei is beautiful. And you are clueless as the other one, I even gave you a fake name in hopes you would figure it out." She said, she didn't bother turning around to speak.

"Kurohime…you said…Kurosaki-kun…earlier the way you said it...are you…"

"Yes." She turned and smiled at him, he immediately confirmed that she was Orihime from the other side of the mirror.

"Does…the other me know about who you are?"

"No. but I'm glad here I got to be together with you."

"Ichigo! Why are you out of bed!?" Orihime shouted as she ran over and knelt down.

"I'm fine, got that pale bastard inside me to heal me enough to let me walk around. And plus, I wanted to talk with you. And I was, technically."

"I don't understand."

"I'm you. The other him said that I died, remember? I'm not sure what happened but I became an Ancient. With different mask color, which meant, I was royalty to them. I'm so happy that I got to be with him in this world if not my own."

"Oh my god!" Orihime said as she started sobbing and threw her arms around the hollow her. "Ichigo! You need to spend time with her! Make up for what she never had!"

"It's okay, I'm happy just knowing, plus…I don't even look similar to you anymore." Ichigo just laughed and rubbed the top of her head.

"I don't care, come on, let's start with a walk, I can manage a walk right now."

"No, you aren't going anywhere, there's something you need to see." Shunsui appeared behind him and told him that.

"And does that problem call for me to do anything but walk?"

"Unfortunately it does. Come on." He grabbed Ichigo's sleeve and flash stepped away.

…

"Here we are." Shunsui said as he let go of Ichigo who fell to the ground clutching his chest and heavily breathing, he managed to look up to see they were in front of the Maggot nest.

"Why the hell are you bringing me into this hell pit…I can't fight back you know."

"We're not going in. we're just happened to land here. Turn around." Ichigo turned around to see what he was talking about.

"Wh-" He coughed up some blood. "Ah shit…what the hell…is she…doing here?"

"She was sent with twelve of those Ancients, you said a few of them were hostile. Well, I arrived and she killed them, the bodies disintegrated. Retsu is as strong there as she was here it seems." He walked over to her unconscious body and picked her up. "So, how about some of your healing kido?"

"I don't know if I can do any Kido right now…but…" He held his hand up over her chest and it started glowing in a green light. After a second she woke and Shunsui let her go. Ichigo fell to his knees and coughed up some more blood. "I can't…damn…" He sat there heavily breathing.

"Oh…let me heal you. I might be captain of squad eleven, but I can heal better than that fool Kenpachi can." She knelt over and healed him quickly. It wasn't a great job because of how difficult of a shield his reiatsu was. He was able to stand and he stopped her.

"I'm fine. Let me heal on my own." He started walking away and stumbled a bit. "So why are you here?"

"Captain Commander Aizen knew about me harboring the intruders…I don't know why he sent me here…he…executed Jushiro on the spot…"

"Then I won't send you back." Ichigo stumbled back to them. "But…please don't drag me out here again like this…"

"Oh come on, we still need to head back!" Shunsui said as he grabbed Ichigo's sleeve. "Squad four, Rtsu, meet us there!"

…

"I am going to kill you…" Ichigo mumbled as he struggled to stand again. He made his way inside. Retsu behind him. Shunsui had to go deal with something.

"You really should let me heal you." Retsu said with warning tone. Icdhigo ignored her.

"You moron. Get back in your bed." Rukia said as she came around a corner and spotted him.

"Not in the mood Rukia…" She got annoyed at him and flicked his forehead and sent him flying into Retsu knocking her down.

"Oh my god I'm sorry!" Rukia called as she ran over. "C-captain Unohana!?"

"Oh, you must be this world's Rukia. I guess I'm staying here permanently since Captain Kurosaki wont send me back.

"There are three captain Kurosaki, please call me Ichigo." He said as he walked away.

"What's got into him."

"Massive bloodloss." Retsu said as she stood up.

"So. I noticed that everything is different…is it because the worlds are mirrored or…"

"No, Ichigo blew it up thirty years ago. We recently finished rebuilding and he came out of his coma…long story…ask him when he doesn't have a branch stuck up his…"

"Hey, Rukia, don't stand around like a moron. Is my dad awake?" Tatsuki said as she walked by.

"Hey! Don't make me chase you down, I can still beat your ass like a child! You're only captain because I didn't want to be!"

"Who is that? I don't recognize her?" Retsu asked as she followed an angry Rukia into the garden. "And you seem really mad."

"That…thing…was one of his daughters, Tatsuki, my old captain before I transferred to his squad. Somehow he convinced me to join his squad on a drunken adventure in the human world."

"I can only imagine because they told me to come here it's because I was captain of this squad?"

"C-captain…" Isane mumbled as she walked by and saw her sitting next to Rukia.

…

"Nel?" Chizu said as she went into Ichigo's office and found her sitting on his desk reading a book.

"Oh, hi Chizu-chan! Do you need something?" She asked as she shut her book.

"No…I came here to see if anything needs cleaning. He doesn't seem like a clean person in general."

"That's more true than you think. Have you seen the coat hanging in squad five's barracks?"

"You mean that bloddy one that looks unwearable?"

"Yeah, that was his coat. He went through three coats in…however long he was a captain for. That one lasted the longest at ten years."

"Oh…well…I should get going, you seemed busy."

"You're too timid, if you want to be in his squad, you should open up more. I've been watching you, you're always alone. Don't you have any friends from the academy?"

"N-" She stopped when the door slid open violently. It was Ichigo breathing heavily. Nobody said anything as he walked in and past them to his quarters. He came out a few minutes later changed and with his coat. He went over to his desk and started writing on some forms.

"Hello, Nel, Chizu, sorry for not saying anything when I came in…I'm having trouble breathing…don't worry."

"Captain…" She would have continued but noticed something, the mirror behind him was cracked in the center.

"Ichigo." Nel said, moving behind him to the mirror. "The mirror is cracked." Ichigo turned around and looked at it for a minute.

"Fucking mirrors…I…damn it…hold on." He opened his drawer and pulled out the book of translations that Urahara wrote and started flipping though the pages.

"What are you going to do."

"Silence. Golden silence, silver moon, replenish what the moon is missing from its silver rivers." He said this while holding his hand flat on the mirror. It repaired itself within seconds and Ichigo coughed up some blood.

"What was that?" Chizu asked.

"Nothing. Don't read that book. Don't touch the mirror. Don't look at yourself in the mirror. You never know what's looking back. Right? Minerva?" he said, turning to his left.

"No fun, how did you know I came back." She asked, coming out of the floor next to him.

"I know everything of course." He said with a small chuckle.

"You know Mirror Kido puts ten times the strain on your body that normal kido does, don't go using it for such a small thing. The mirror itself is a gate, nothing happens if the surface of a gate is scratched." She glanced over and noticed the confused expression on the others' faces. "What, don't look at me like that? My name's Minerva, and I'm here to keep this idiot from unlocking something too big for him to handle."

"Oh, okay, good luck." Nel said as she grabbed Chizu's wrist. "Come on, let's go talk with the others!"

"Minerva…there's something I need to ask you. While we were in the Mirror world, or whatever we're calling it now. Retsu told me I only have eight hours or I would die. How are the others able to stay so long?"

"Because you're not supposed to exist, nature's mistake."

"Oh, that's nice. Whatever. I still need to go and deal with both Aizen's over there…so until then…"

"Hey, if you ask me to join this squad or help you in combat, I'll turn you into a fish."

"You can do that?" Ichigo asked, curiously.

"Kido is much more than you think it is." She snapped her fingers and a dog appeared on his desk, it barked at him and she snapped her fingers again and it popped into a cloud of smoke. "You've probably been told you can't create life with it. Whoever told you that is an amateur."

"Whatever…if your kido is so…great. Why didn't you heal me instead of bringing me back here…how did you even bring us back."

"One, I don't have enough reiatsu to pierce that damn reiatsu armor of yours to heal you, and two, I took us to Hueco Mundo and the Ancients sent us back. Anyway…you were asking about that Kemosuke. I looked into it. The head of the Ancient tribe said he lives in his castle. Las Noches. The younger Aizen didn't know we came until we entered soul society and basially knocked on his door. I can get us to Hueco Mundo again, once you're done being a pussy and use that hollow you're famous for and heal yourself." She sank down in the floor and left him alone.

"Aren't you supposed to be a child…" He mumbled to himself when the door burst open. "Oh good god what do you want now!?" He shouted before turning around, knowing it was Rukia again.

"I was bringing Captain Unohana to visit you since you decided to storm off in your pissed off state. It's really a downer, cheer up, okay? She smiled at the last bit and ran off leaving Retsu there alone with him.

"Is this a bad time?" She asked, unsure of herself.

"Oh…yeah it's fine…just…too much happened in this short time. Come in, sit down, the you that we had here was one of my closest friends, don't be so distant, okay?"

"Oh, alright I guess." She said as she came in and sat down. "You must be special here if they made a new squad for you."

"More like, most dangerous so they are making me happy. I threatened to start a rebellion if they didn't give me my captain status back, it took a while but they agreed." Ichigo pushed away the papers he was writing on.

"Sorry if I'm not as open as you were hoping, in the last forty years, we've only exchanged sentences because the you in my world was an outcast and not allowed to return."

"No, its fine. I understand what you're saying, just know that I'm your friend…What are you doing back so soon?" He asked as Tier and Menoly walked in.

"I checked the weather and it will be raining for a week…I went for the beach, not to be held up in a house…Captain Unohana…"

"I'm sorry we haven't met anywhere, who are you?" She asked with a smile.

"That is Tier Harribel and Menoly Mallia, Tier is my third seat and Menoly is my lieutenant."

"Hello." Menoly said shyly as she went past to her quarters.

"Oh she's cute. I noticed that there are a few arrancars."

"Yeah, all are in my squad except two, which are hanging around with my daughters all the time. Come to think of it…" He lifted his finger for a hell butterfly after a second it flew away. Ichigo and Retsu sat there for another ten minutes talking until the door slid open and Tatsuki came in with Starrk behind her, with a bruise on his left cheek.

"You wanted to see us?" She asked before looking at the couch to see Retsu sitting there. "Hi, Captain Unohana. I missed you." She said with a big smile.

"I don't know you, but it's good to see you."

"She's from the other side. Anyway, I know that Masaki and Ulquiorra are basically attatched at the hip, what about you two?"

"You could say that." Starrk said before Tatsuki elbowed him in the ribs.

"Shut up. Yeah, we get along, if he doesn't say something stupid." Tatsuki faked a smile and Ichigo knew what was going on.

"Whatever, marry her before you get her pregnant."

"D-dad!" Tatsuki shouted, stepping forward.

"And that reaction tell me that I'm right, anyway, Starrk, I don't see anything wrong about you, personality wise, but go ahead with her. just don't hurt her."

"Sure." He wheezed out, rubbing his ribs.

"So, you're one of his daughters." Retsu said. "Nice to meet you. Captain Kurosaki."

"Ah this is so awkward…" Tatsuki mumbled to herself as she stopped blushing barely. "Uh, you can call me by my name…Tatsuki. My parents are both captains so it would be weird."

"I think so too, alright Tatsuki." She gave her a smile.

"Captain!" a male Shinigami ran in.

"What is your name again?" Ichigo asked, knowing only a few names so far.

"That can wait until later! Come on!" He ran out expecting Ichigo to follow him quickly. He stood up and shouted.

"I can barely walk, hold on!"

…

"You…you worthless piece of garbage…I-I was kicked out of my clan because of you!" Neiro shouted as he pointed his sword at Chizu who was just lazily sitting in the hall reading a book. Ichigo finally arrived to see him charge at her but she was gone before he hit her. "Wh…"

"I already can flash step. Can you? If you can't…it's best you left. Oh, hello Captain." She said, walking towards Ichigo. Neiro threw his zanpakuto at her, she didn't know so she didn't dodge and it cut her arm deeply. Ichigo walked past the crowd and towards him.

"I may not be at full strength right now. But trust me I'm still strong enough to wipe your existence. Run." Ichigo said putting on his mask and growling at him.

"I…I'll remember this!" HE shouted as he scurried away out the door. Ichigo removed the mask and fell to a knee.

"Good. All of you…I want you to train together, just spar, Chizu come with me, the rest of you I'll come back to check on you." He started to walk away and Chizu followed clutching the wound on her arm.

"You didn't have to scare him off. I could have fought him."

"If you even acknowledge him he wont stop, next time, just ignore him, okay, and watch out for sword throwing. It's a nasty trick, and nobody sees it coming."

"Why am I following you instead of heading to squad four? Captain?"

"Because Isane, as good a healer as she is, usually is busy and something like what you have is considered minor and wouldn't get treatment immediately. Instead…" He said as he opened the door to see Retsu standing near a bookcase looking at the books. "Hey. Retsu can you help her?"

"What happened? And yes." She left the book case and walked over to Chizu and examined her arm. "This wound is deep but I can heal it." She smiled as she healed it for her.

"Training accident." Ichigo said before Chizu could say anything.

"Captain Unohana…"

"Yes, I realize the me from this world is dead, and I'm going to replace her."

"Oh…I read things about you…"

"You have?"

"Yeah, at Shino Academy they have to learn about all the captains. Although it was apparently a crime to teach about me."

"Oh, well it's nice to meet you, you look pretty young though."

"Well, other than the arrancars I have in my squad, and there are some children running sround who aren't in the squad yet…everyone was recently picked from the academy." Ichigo said, there was a loud crash from the lieutenants quarters. And Menoly opened the door with a cut on her face.

"Sorry. I tripped and went through the window."

"It's fine Menoly." Ichigo said with a chuckle. "Why don't you come out and be social. That's an order."

"I'm just tired, but okay. Um…Hi." She said, sitting next to Retsu.

"Hello. You're pretty, I bet the guys are all over you?"

"Ah…" Menoly blushed a bit, anything involving guys or girls flustered her since she was bisexual and embarrassed easily.

"Hisagi seemed pretty interested."

"He's a pig…" Menoly said with a sigh.

"did something happen in the Human world?"

"N-no! he's just…I don't know…" Menoly looked off at a wall and stared at it.

"If you don't mind me asking, where do I stay? I would like to help out at that hospital at squad four."

"Why don't you go ask Isane, you were her captain here before, I'm sure she would love to let you stay there. Hell, I'd even guess that she would step down as captain and let you take over."

"No, I couldn't do that, being a captain is about trust, not because of my power. Or what I might have done here. My name is as good as a student's now. I'm just well known here."

"If that's what you want. Did you talk to her yet anyway?"

"I saw her but I didn't bother her because she and her lieutenant were busy talking about something."

"Don't worry, her lieutenant is always looking for new friends, she can talk anytime, as for Isane, she's been busy ever since I woke up."

"Who is her lieutenant? I've never seen her before?"

"One of my old friends, Yumai. I wonder what they're doing in the Human world…"

…

"You pervert!" Loly shouted at Hisagi as she threw a book at him.

…

"Probably yelling at each other." Menoly said as she whipped her head to the side to see Minerva sitting there. "H-how long have you been there!?"

"Long enough. I'm bored, hey, Ichigo, can we play?"

"First you insult me, act like a child, insult me again, and you're back to a child?"

"Who is that?"

"Retsu, I'm not even sure with this one, she does some crazy kido, I don't know her real name, what she actually looks or sounds like, where she lives, why she chose to watch me…her name is Minerva, well that's what she told me."

"There's no time for game, idiot. You need to hurry and recover so we can go kill his father."

"We? You're only coming to drag my body back to the Ancients if I get beaten again, nobody else is fighting. Oh now I have a headache what did you do…"

"I tied a knot in your mind, you cant think properly right now, just rest, talk with friends, and sit there, you can go fro a walk, no fighting, no strain, okay?" Before he could say anything she was gone. He turned to Menoly.

"She's getting annoying, Menoly can you check on the squad see if they are okay, they should be sparring, tell them they can stop for now. Retsu, want to go for a walk with me? I'm going to see if the me and Rukia from your world and my world can come."

"I could do with a walk around see what is different." She said with a smile as she stood up. Chizu left after grabbing a book from his bookcase, forgetting she borrowed one earlier.

…

"Why have you been so pissed off lately?" Ichigo asked Rukia because she tried to hit him.

"Nothing."

"It might not be my place but you seem more hostile than you should be."

"Captain Unohana, it's alright. Just…nothing I'm thinking too hard about small things."

"That leads to disaster." Mugetsu said as he put an arm around his Rukia.

"I feel so sorry for you." Rukia said to the other Rukia.

"Why?" The other asked with a chuckle.

"Because you have to love this idiot." Rukia said pointing at Mugetsu.

"You get used to it. Where's Orihime why didn't she come?"

"She's probably out running around with the SWA. Anyway, Retsu. You're being quiet, you should loosen up, and we're all friends here."

"I'm just used to being so quiet, I'm sorry. I'm rather lonely over there. Being in a combat squad didn't leave me much time to make friends so I just practiced with my squad."

"Oh…well, you know I'm not going to let you go back and be executed, so you should start being the opposite and socialize."

"Captain Kurosaki, you really must rest in bed, I implore you stay at squad four, I keep the hospital nice, for such occasions. So come on, Ichi-dono." It was Yumai in a tree they were walking by.

"Yumai, why are you talking like that?"

"Whatever do you mean?" She said, hanging upside down.

"Do you want to come with us, we're just walking around. I can't do much else, my lungs are still in shit condition."

"Of course, I'm in love with you remember, anything is fun with you!"

"What are you going on about now?" He asked, rubbing the back of his head.

"I'm not too sure, but Sui-Feng gave me this weird powder and now everything is making me happy and blurt out most of my thoughts! I would let you lick chocolate off of me, Rukia."

"What?" Both Rukia said at the same time.

"How do I respond to this one?" Retsu said as she backed up slightly.

"You don't, she's on some kind of drug. Don't do that, she might bite." He said, looking at Mugetsu poke Yumai in the forehead with a stick.

"But…she's just…taking it."

"There are many things I would take from you." She said, immediately Mugetsu dropped the stick and backed up.

"Okay! Where to now, other me!? He's gone!?" He shouted when he noticed both Rukia's, him and Retsu left him alone with Yumai who was widely grinning at him.

…

"That was nice, except…that girl…" Retsu said as they arrived at the squad four barracks.

"Well, she only acted like that because Sui-Feng drugged her. Normally she's just a loud friendly girl, oh, that was the lieutenant if you didn't know."

"We're also going to stay at squad four, whenever he catches up with us." The mirror Rukia said as she went inside with Retsu. Ichigo and the regular Rukia started walking away.

"You know Rukia, you told me to get a better attitude. You're the one with a rotten attitude lately, what happened?"

"Nothing happened." She answered, Ichigo put his hand on her shoulder.

"Like hell nothing happened. Rukia, you're not that closed off little girl who can hide her emotions from me."

"It's nothing to do with you."

"Rukia…" Ichigo began, he stopped walking when he noticed she was crying.

"What do you want me to say!?" She shouted as she turned around, her fists clenched at her sides. "Do you want me to tell you that Renji cheated on me!? Is that what you wanted to hear? Did that make you happy!?" Ichigo said nothing except turned around and started heading the opposite direction. "Wh…what are you…" She stopped talking when she realized he was heading to the Senkaimon. She flash stepped in front of him and tried to stop him. "Don't hurt him! please…"

"I wont hurt him. I'll kill him."

"Ichigo. If you do that…I will never forgive you…I'll hate you…!"

"Rukia. how did you know he was?"

"I went by the Human world to see what they were doing. And he…and some human girl…"

"That's enough. Try to stop me and you will know why I'm labeled terrorist." He shot her a look that basically said, if you step in front of me again, I'll rip you in two. He kept slowly walking and once he got at the gate he looked at the guards and they opened it without him saying anything, he walked through once the seal was placed. He arrived a few minutes walking distance from the house where everyone was staying.

…

"Do you feel that…" Masaki asked Rangiku, they were sitting in the living room with Renji and Shuhei.

"He shouldn't be out of bed, let alone wandering around so close."

"But…it's so dense…He's really mad…" Masaki said standing up. Just then the door exploded and flew inside revealing Ichigo as he coughed up some blood.

"Renji…you motherfucker…"

"Wh-what are you talking about?" He shouted, leaving his gigai, not wanting to be killed by a glare.

"You cheated on Rukia…you fucking ass."

"Cheated on…what are you talking about!?"

"She wanted to stop by and see how you guys were doing, and she supposedly saw you with a human girl."

"I didn't cheat on Rukia with a human…I didn't cheat on her at all! If she saw me with a girl, it was the one who came by trying to sell us something and Rangiku roped into hanging out, she got drunk, kissed me and I kicked her out!"

"Is that…really what happened?" Rukia asked, moving past Ichigo.

"Rukia…I told you to not get in my way…" Ichigo said, grabbing her arm, she turned around and punched him in the face, sending him flying into a wall.

"I told you not to hurt him…the reiatsu you were just putting out wasn't friendly. I told you it had nothing to do with you."

"It has everything to do with me. Renji, remember what I told you, right before your wedding?"

"No, not really, what was it!?"

"If you don't remember…I won't remind you." He coughed up some blood and stumbled to the door. "Fix the door. Then come back. That is an order."

"I'm a captain. You cant order me."

"That is an order. I'm not in the mood to deal with this right now…" He winced in pain as he opened a Senkaimon.

"Dad, you cant be up and around now." Masaki said as she ran over after leaving her gigai and put his arm over her shoulder and walked him through. Ulquiorra came down the stairs and followed them.

…

"I put too much strain on my body today, I think you're right." Ichigo said to Masaki as she led him into squad four.

"Ichigo!" Orihime shouted as she ran around a corner with Kurohime behind her. "Why did you go to the human world in your condition?"

"Nothing, I think I'll just stay cooped up in the hospital room…what happened to your mask?" Ichigo asked, noticing that there was a crack down the middle of it between the eyes. She put her fingers on it and felt it, her eyes went wide.

"I….don't, know…" She kept running her fingers over it.

"Maybe you should go back." Ichigo suggested.

"I would but you brought me here, and you have to send me back…"

"No…I thought the Ancients sent you here the second time…"

"I came back on a trail of your residual reiatsu. Otherwise there would be no telling where I would end up going through either way. I could end up in Hueco Mundo or I could end up in Aizen's personal quarters. Who knows where…only you can send me back to Hueco Mundo because that is where your trail leads. You cant change it, you aren't efficient enough with Mirror to know how to."

"But I do." Minerva walked through a wall as she said that.

"Will you stop doing that?" Ichigo asked with a face of detest.

"Only people who have come in close contact with me can see me. Anyway, I told you I cant use that Kido, I lied. I just wanted to see if you could do it. come him me, princess." She grabbed Kurohime by the collar and dragged her outside.

"I'm so done with this…I'm staying here." Ichigo said as he walked into an empty room and collapsed on the bed. Masaki sighed and sat next to him, the others dispersed into different areas.

"Dad. I think you should slow down."

"What are you talking about now?" He said, laying on his stomach and turning his head to her.

"I know you pride yourself on being untouchable."

"It has it's uses. But what is your point?"

"I'm just saying, you're incredibly weak right now, well weak for you, you can still probably fight a lieutenant, and maybe win. If you're lucky. My point is, don't kill yourself trying to push yourself. You actually have a heart now, and can actually die. Please…don't leave again. Leave the Mirror world alone. Destroy the Mirror. Kill the copies, I don't care…just please…don't go back. The condition you and Koko came back in…they're much stronger over there…"

"You must have forgotten what we named you. Masaki Kurosaki. Kurosaki. Have you known me to give up on something?"

"Trying to reason with you is like talking to a wall."

"You forget, this all started from me talking to a wall." Ichigo said shutting his eyes.

"You are something else aren't you?" Masaki said with a small smile.

"I live to be. Oh, and Kurohime, that princess Ancient, that is Orihime."

"I know, I knew when I met her. She looks and talks exactly like mom. And when the other you said she was dead, I pieced things together."

"You're much smarter than I thought."

"Well, I did spend twenty years as the Archive Librarian. And that taught me one thing, nothing is simple." She wasn't going to tell him how much she knew about the mirrors. She could care less about this, she just didn't want him hurt this badly again. "Also, there's something I've been meaning to ask you. In your inner world. How many…spirits are there now? Or…how many were there to begin with?"

"On…no two. Why?"

"I…have three…One of them…he's like a raggedy old man in a long black coat with sun glasses…long hair and stuble…he insists that he is your power…why do I have it?"

"…what did he say his name was…" Ichigo asked, knowing the answer.

"He said Zangetsu, that's your zanpakuto though."

"He isn't my zanpakuto. He's my…never mind…have Terra look into it."

"Oh…Okay. Now, I'm going to go do that. You promise me you won't leave this bed?"

"I can't make that promise." He said with a chuckle.

…

"I…what do you mean?" Terra asked the man she was speaking to over a monitor. He had long dirty brown hair and one grey eye, the other was a bright golden color. He had a long beard that was beginning to turn grey as was his hair. He had a crescent shaped scar on his left cheek. He was wearing a black robe.

"I want you to ready the gate again, I'm sending my other daughter to retrieve her."

"B-but Kemosuke-sama…She's under watch by Captain Kurosaki…he wont be fooled twice by the same thing."

"Yes, but as I recall you told me that he is gravely wounded, perhaps I should find another spy? You don't seem to be doing anything correctly. Although, that was one heck of a seal you put on him. Next time, make it permanent. Also, do they still believe the Americans still exist?"

"Yes, hold on." She turned when she heard something move in the lab. She shut the monitor off and ran to the source of the sound to Find Nemu and see someone running away. All she saw was legs of the other person.

"Nemu, who was just here."

"Masaki was, she had something to ask, but knocked something over and ran."

"Did you hear what I was talking about?"

"I think she might have, I chose to ignore it because it isn't my place to bother my captain and their personal lives."

"Good." Terra said heading back to the monitor and turning it back on.

"This is twice now that you have cut me off."

"My apologies, his daughter knows now. What shall I do?"

"Nothing the daughter doesn't concern me, the Kurosaki boy trusts nobody at this point. I would know. He is my own flesh and blood."

…

"Come to think of it…where are those two kids?" Rukia asked as she walked through the barracks. She hadn't seen them since the morning. She went to their rooms and found they were empty, the rec room, empty, everywhere she looked, she couldn't find them. "Hope nothing bad happened…Oh, Chizu!" She shouted, running over to Chizu."

"Kuchiki-san…what is it?"

"Have you seen Eren and Myumi anywhere. I cant find them?"

"I took them to squad four this morning, Captain Kotetsu wanted to do a physical for them to see if there were any health problems, she said Myumi was malnourished so I brought them some food a little while ago, she might still by there with Eren, unless they snuck off but I doubt it, they don't look adventurous." She said quietly, nervous that Rukia was going to punish her.

"You look nervous, something wrong?"

"N-no…!"

"you know, you can talk to me or Ichigo if you need something, hell, you can even go to Orihime at squad five, she'll be happy to help anyone. Anyway, I'm going to go look for them, thanks Chizu, I'll put in a good word for you so you get a high rank here!" Rukia shouted as she ran off.

'She isn't like other Kuchiki's…' She thought as she walked away. She noticed one of the three doors from the other day was opened slightly. Her curiosity got the better of her so she peeked inside, and immediately wished she didn't. inside there was a large crystal with a male Shinigami frozen in it. She saw Minerva kneeling in front of it chanting something strange. Chizu wasn't questioning anything that happened around the barracks anymore, ever since two Ichigo's appeared. She thought it best to just move on. She started walking away but her sleeve got caught on the door and pulled it open as she fell. Minerva slammed the door and walked through it.

"Huh, I actually liked you, shame." Minerva raised her hand up and it started glowing.

"W-wait! I-I have no friends, so there's n-no way I would tell anyone…I don't even know what you were doing?" Chizu said, crawling back out of fear.

"Hmm…that is true, the only one you seem close with is that idiot in the hospital…I'll be in trouble with him if he finds out I killed you, or wiped your memory, so can I trust you to be a faithful assistant?"

"E-eh…"

"Look. As much as I want to kill you right now, I won't simply because your captain can be scary as hell. If I cant trust you, I'll make it look like suicide."

'Ah…what do I do!? Her assistant…?'

"Wh…what do I need to do…actually, what were you doing anyway?"

"We can't talk out here." Minerva walked through the door and opened it from the inside so Chizu could go in and then shut it.

"Who…is this?"

"One of two great heroes who saved the Soul Society hundreds of years ago, countless times, I've performed the spell to awaken him, I cracked the crystal two hundred years ago moving it, now I can't get it thawed."

"Two…is that what's in one of those other rooms?"

"Yes, the room next to this one is the other, his sister. And the one on the other side, I can't tell you that, not now. I don't know you won't tell anybody about this."

"How old are you anyway…you look like a child."

"I prefer to stay like a child because it's cute!" She said with a smile then changed back to a serious expression. "If I find that you told anyone about this…I will melt your brain with my mind… Now get out." The door opened for Chizu and she gladly ran out.

"Oh! I-I'm sorry!" Menoly shouted as Chizu slammed into her rounding a corner.

"L-Lieutenant Mallia! How…How is the captain doing?"

"I don't know…he was asleep when I went by. Why are you in such a hurry?"

"N-no reason!"

…

"Sumn Nier Elarch Ultie Zarro Mietyro Sajar Siane."

"What…did he just say?" Masaki asked Tatsuki, they heard Ichigo mumbling in his sleep.

"He's probably lost his mind."

"Seot Maska Uteiro Masaki."

"H-he just said my name Tatsuki!"

"Y-yeah I heard it too…but…everything else is gibberish." Tatsuki said, leaning forward to see if he would say anything else.

"Sumn Nier Elarch. Matu Eirytuir Tatsuki."

"Wait! I know this…I've seen those words…I didn't know how to pronounce them… But if think I know how they are spelt…He's speaking Hollowed."

"He may be a whole lot of things, Masaki, but bilingual isn't one of them.

"Understand me now?" he said, eyes still shut.

"What…is he okay?"

"Rest assured, we haven't spoken that language in so long, forgive us. Kurohime as she told you to call her wanted to know if he has recovered enough to return Kemosuke is plotting something a large number of Ferals are gathering outside his castle."

"Wh…so you're speaking from the other world…through our dad?" Masaki said, cautiously.

"Oh my, we're speaking through him…I only meant to use his reiatsu as a channel. Is he well?"

"No, he's in pretty bad shape, but we have our top healers on him."

…

"You're pitiful, get up." Shiro said standing over Ichigo's collapsed body.

"You…what''s really pitiful is I can feel you trying to take over, but I'm still stronger, and I'm the weakest I've been in how long?"

"Shut up. I'm getting tired of bed rest. I'm going to heal you fully, now get out there and go kick ass."

"What's with this pep talk. And where's that Old Man?" Ichigo said looking around.

"He's out at the moment. Can I take a message?" Shiro asked as the world around Ichigo faded to black, he woke up and his daughters were staring at him confused.

"Oh…hey."

"Dad, is it you?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Ichigo asked as Masaki prodded at him.

"One of the ancients was talking through you…he said that there is commotion and an army of Ferals are gathering at Kemosuke's castle."

"Alright, I'll go deal with it." He said sitting up.

"What are you talking about? You can barely walk…!" Tatsuki said holding him down.

"Ha, I managed to…heal myself."

…

"Alright, you, you and you are coming with me." Ichigo said to Toshiro, his father and Kenpachi. Minerva was already standing next to him.

"Why me?"

"You're a good tactician and won't do anything stupid." Ichigo said as he flipped the pages of his book and found the incantation to open the doors of mirror.

…

"Bankai! Daiguren Hyorinmaru!"

"Bankai! Tensa Zangetsu."

"Bankai! Engetsu Dankai!"

All three released their Bankai when they saw the thousands of hollow swarming around Las Noches. Toshiro was covered in his signature ice dragon, Ichigo had his normal Bankai although his left arm was covered in ice along with the blade. Isshin's Zanpakuto grew to the size of Ichigo's Shikai and was covered in flames.

"So, that's your Bankai." Ichigo said looking it over. "Ha, looks familiar."

"It should, it's…never mind, let's deal with this…these aren't normal hollows. They're Feral."

"Feral…what does that mean? Angry right?"

"Not exactly, these hollows are exceptionally dangerous because they don't feel pain and don't stop attacking until they die, they are a new class that was discovered five years ago when twenty of them invaded the Sereitei and destroyed half of squad eleven."

"Well shit, if you told me that I would have brought Terra and Kenpachi!" Ichigo shouted at Toshiro after his explanation.

"No time for arguing! Let's go!" Isshin shouted as he sped off toward the hollows. "Getsuga…Tenshou!" He swung the sword down and a red Getsuga slashed through the crowds of hollows. Not that many of them died, but more than half of them turned and attacked.

'Red Getsuga?' Ichigo thought to himself.

"What color do you think fire would turn it?" Shiro said with a mocking tone.

'Oh, I loved it so much more when I didn't have you to worry about.'

"Well, I'm all you got right now so deal with it!"

'What does that mean…!?'

"Kurosaki! Stop daydreaming and kill this thing!" Toshiro shouted as a hollow that was a spiked dragonfly latched onto his back. Ichigo came out of arguing with himself and flash stepped over and cut it in two. But it didn't let go, half fell to the ground. Ichigo grabbed it and pried it off of him and sliced it in two.

"What…is that…" Ichigo asked, pointing up at a massive hollow coming out of the canopy of Las Noches. It was a huge dragon with a pure black body and glowing purple eyes.

"Oh…"

"Shit." They said as the dragon charged something in its mouth. It let out a massive roar and the hollows around Las Noches were reduced to clouds of blood.

"Anyone up for a retreat?" Isshin asked as he backed up.

"If this was thirty years ago, I would have disagreed. We're leaving!" Ichigo and the other two started their retreat back to the Ancient's village.

…

"Minerva, put up the strongest barrier you can around this village, we're leaving! And hurry it up!" Ichigo shouted as he ran over to see her playing with a child.

"Why, what's the rush? With that amount, killing them would take a few days."

"N-no, they're all dead! That is the problem though!" Ichigo shouted and pointed at the massive dragon coming over a sand dune.

"Oh hell no, I can't stop something from that, I couldn't before and I can't now! Everyone! Through the gate." She clapped her hands together and a huge mirrored doorway opened up and the entire village started to run through it.

'Before…wha…' Ichigo began to think to himself but then he saw the dragon charge up the same thing it did before it roared earlier. He turned to the crowd that was slowly entering the doorway. He held up his zanpakuto pointing to the ground.

"Tenran!" He shouted and it started spinning blowing everyone in to the doors, Minerva, Isshin and Hitsugaya ran in with Ichigo as it shut. Perfect timing because the dragon roared and the entire village was flattened, leaving a massive crater where the dragon was floating. It roared again but nothing exploded this time, it just flew off to return to its master.

…

"Now explain why you brought 130 arrancars from the other world?" Shunsui asked with a sigh.

"These aren't arrancars. Arrancars are born after a hollow removes its mask. These are Ancients. They are what all hollows come from." Terra said instead of Ichigo explaining.

"So…why did you bring them back?"

"It wasn't me who did that."

"Well who did?" Byakuya asked, earning nods from everyone else.

"That girl who's always popping up out of nowhere. She wont tell me any real information about herself. She saw the massive Dragon Hollow we had to fight because it chased us and she freaked out, opened the doors and evacuated the village."

"I did not freak out, you three are the ones who came back with your tails between your legs." She came up through the floor between Ichigo and Shunsui.

"Her, it was her."

"Well, they landed in the courtyard of squad five. Just be glad they didn't come out in eleven." Shunsui said. "Meeting dismissed."

"Wait…what are we going to do about that dragon? Or the hundred Ancients that came back with us?"

"Keep them in your barracks. Put them in your squad, I honestly don't have any preference what you do, just keep them out of trouble."

"I somehow feel like this is a punishment." Ichigo said as he turned and left the room, following the other captains and lieutenants. Menoly was waiting outside for him.

"Ichigo-sama. Was this dragon hollow really that bad…"

"Remember how big Las Noches was?" Ichigo said to her as she followed close behind.

"Yes…"

"Well, it was about half that size." Ichigo said with a sigh.

"Y-you don't think it could come here…do you?"

"Whether I think about it or not. If it comes here or not is entirely if it wants to or not. Anyway…they have to stay at our barracks…I know half of them don't like me and don't like this language, but they'll just need to deal with it."

"Oh good you're still here." Minerva said, coming out of the room.

"Good for me or you? I need you to be honest with me. In Hueco Mundo. You said you couldn't do anything against that dragon. Now or before. What aren't you telling me."

"Damn, I was hoping you forgot I said that. I guess I cracked under pressure, meet me in your office." She waved her arm in front of her face and turned into dust.

"Just once…can you move like a normal person? Hey…you…I forgot your name. And Tatsuki."

"This is my lieutenant. Remember, her name is Asumani."

"That's not even close this time, captain." She said looking really annoyed.

"What is your name then?" Ichigo asked.

"Tachibana Mitsurugi." She said, staring at Tatsuki, pushing her now green hair out of her face.

"Tatsuki, you'll do well to remember Tachibana's name…and didn't you have silver hair when I left?"

"I like to dye it every couple of days." She said with a smile running her hand through it.

"Alright, If my daughter ever gets boring you're welcome in my squad." He said with a chuckle.

"Thank you for the offer, but as much as I find her lacking in brain cells and motivation, I'm loyal to my captain."

"For that one…you're on hollow duty. Head to 75 south. Two days."

"Yes, captain." She said with a bow before running off.

"She's a good girl." Tatsuki said while looking in the direction that she ran off in.

"Yeah. But remember her name next time, she seemed happy at the mention of it."

"yeah, fine. Whatever. So, you going to go find a plan to deal with this dragon?" she said turning back and crossing her arms.

"Oh yeah! I forgot I asked Minerva…I'll see you later, oh and tell your mom to meet me in my office tonight at ten!" Ichigo shouted as he ran off dragging Menoly by her arm.

"Slow down…that's all we want, dad." She whispered to herself as she watched him round a corner.

…

"Alright what was it you…look different now." Ichigo said walking into his office to see Minerva, she looked the same but was nearly as tall as Ichigo.

"Yes, this is my true form. I still won't tell you my name. It would cause too many problems if you knew who I was. Anyway, follow me, she should already be there." She said walking past him.

"What are you talking about? Who's she? And why can't you tell me your name, who are you? If I can't trust you right now…"

"Would you just shut up and follow me." She said calmly but clenching her fists. She kept walking and he followed her to the first of the three doors.

"This…I thought theses were sealed."

"They are, I'm the only one alive who can open them. Well, no there are two now." She slid the door open to reveal Chizu chanting something with her hands on the crystal. She stepped aside to let Ichigo in.

"C-captain!?" Chizu shouted as she noticed him.

"Chizu, what is going on here? Minerva…?"

"I caught her spying on me so I forced her to be my assistant and I implanted knowledge of my kido to free him from the prison crystal in her and she's been doing this when I haven't been."

"Minerva…wha…"

"It's alright Chizu, I'm showing him the three doors."

"I don't even know what's in them." She said complaining slightly.

"That's because your only priority is freeing him." Minerva pulled Ichigo out of the room and led him to the far room. "In here is the same as the other, her crystal I can easily break down, but I don't need her right now. The middle room…follow me." She opened the middle door and it led to a staircase that was so long the bottom wasn't visible. "Watch your step." She said pushing him in front of her.

…

"where are we?"

"Inside the dragon's den. So to speak." The bottom of the stairs came out in a massive room, everything was grey, and Ichigo couldn't see the end of the room. It was wide too. In the distance he saw something that made him question his sanity. The dragon from the other world. And it was approaching them fast.

"So, my queen, you have returned to me after these centuries. Kurosaki-sama I am still your faithful servant." A voice seemingly came from the dragon as it arrived at them and slowed.

"But I…" Ichigo began and the dragon turned to him.

"Not you. Her."

"What…WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!? TELL ME RIGHT NOW!"

"My name is…"

"What is it!? What is your name!?" Ichigo said grabbing her shoulders and shaking her. The dragon roared at him.

"Do not put your worthless hands on her." It's booming voice commanded.

"Who the hell are you to tell me otherwise!? Huh!?" Ichigo shouted making a fist at the dragon and it backed off.

'He…made him back down…' She thought with horror as she watched this.

"You have the same blood I do. The blood of the Empty King." Minerva said quietly.

"What are you talking about now!? And you still didn't tell me your name!"

"Tsubaki Kurosaki. I'm the original Kurosaki. Your mother was one of my children. Like you, I am also hollow, human, Shinigami and Quincy, much like your daughter also."

"I don't have time to deal with this! Whatever, you could have said you're family from the start! Now what are you going on about…this Empty King?"

"The Empty King was the original hollow."

"What…" Ichigo couldn't understand anything that is happening.

"The Empty King was born 43,000 years ago. He is still alive to this day. But his whereabouts are unknown I know he is alive because this dragon hollow is still alive."

"What does this giant lizard have to do with anything."

"He is one of his sons. He linked his soul with them so that he can feel their pain and monitor them. but what would happen is if he were to die, they would die too. I lied to you when I told you this was my true appearance, this one is what I would like to call true." She started glowing in a white light and wings and a tail sprouted from her back and her eyes turned a bright yellow color. After a few seconds she reverted.

"Wait…you…are the source of the hollow in me?"

"You should already know that isn't a hollow. That is your zanpakuto. You are your zanpakuto. As am I."

"That's enough. Why did you show me this?"

"It's time you inherited my burden. This dragon. This Hollow dragon is now yours alone."

"Wait…this dragon…how…what do you mean it's mine?"

"He had one daughter for each son, each son was sworn to serve a daughter he chose. I'm passing him on to you. His name is Tsukiryu. Goodbye. Or at least until he lets you come up the steps." She said as she turned to dust.

"Kurosaki-sama, I will serve you, what is your wish."

"Are you strong?"

"The strongest."

"good…I have a little pest problem we need to take care of." Ichigo started to walk away but turned back. "How…do I get you out of here?" He said, looking up at the small door with the stairs.

"That is why she said until I let you leave. You must learn how to summon me."

"Summon…you…why do I get the feeling this won't be easy?" Ichigo mumbled to himself as he returned to it.

"I cannot guarantee your survival. Forgive me for this, Kurosaki-sama. I'm not attuned to your specific reiatsu so this might be a bit painful." The dragon raised its front claw and brought it down, impaling Ichigo through the stomach. Ichigo just stood there in shock and looked down at the blood washing over the talon.

"A…ah…" Ichigo tried to speak but nothing but blood came from his mouth.

"It doesn't hurt does it?" Tsukiryu asked as he withdrew from Ichigo. The wound immediately closing.

"H-how…"

"You already know that answer, don't you?" He said before dissolving into dust which formed a cloud around Ichigo and then infused into him. Ichigo let out a blood curdling scream from the pain he was feeling.

…

"You two. Follow me." Tsubaki said as she walked past Loly and Menoly. She led them to the room that she didn't take Ichigo in to.

"What are you doing with us Minerva?" Loly asked annoyed.

"I'm returning you to your original body." She said as she pushed them into the room.

"What…original?" Menoly asked, not sure of anything Tsubaki was saying.

"Look closely at the girl in the crystal. This is the body you were born from, you are both the halves of her personality ripped from her because she sacrificed her body to save the soul society from the…never mind, when you're reunited with each other, you'll remember everything." She put her hand on the crystal and it melted away and the woman collapsed to the ground. Tsubaki manifested a sword and slashed Loly and Menoly across the back, she started to chant something and a white and black mist flowed from the two of them into the third woman. After this finished she twitched a bit and sat up and looked at Tsubaki who was smiling warmly.

"Tsubaki…"

"Nice to see you again, come on, the Mirror is about to break. Tsukiryu's opposite has awoken.

"N-no…not again…Wh-why am I alive…?"

"Because I repaired your body and by pure coincidence I ran into the two that you split into, not sure if you still have that mpd issue or not, but this was them." She pointed at the two bodies slowly dissolving.

"Oh…I was cute…"

"you still are, let's go help wake your brother, my grandson is busy trying to control Tsukiryu for when he goes to fight the other one."

"Tsubaki, you didn't seem like the one to slow down and marry."

"Who said I married. Shut up and come on." Tsubaki said, motioning for her to follow.

…

"You…fucking lizard…you didn't say it would be like that…" Ichigo said as he stood up, wiping the sweat off his face.

"I told you it would be painful we were not created for one another like it was with me and Tsubaki. I hope you will have me doing something more than sitting around for a few hundred years while she played hero." Tsukiryu's voice echoed even though his body was gone.

"So you've just been down here the entire time?"

"Yes, she ordered me to stay down here because always having a voice in her head was annoying."

"Huh, so I can just call you out like my Bankai?"

"Yes. although I wouldn't recommend doing that in a confined space."

"Whatever." Ichigo said as he started making his way up the staircase. "So…you don't sound like you're in my head."

"Only you and those you permit, can hear me."

"Oh. Alright then. This is taking forever." Ichigo said before flash stepping to the top of the staircase, he came out of the door to see Tsubaki and two others he didn't recognize.

"Oh, that was quicker than I thought. He seems to like you if he didn't rip your head off. I've tried entrusting him in the past but everyone ends up headless or in half."

"Whatever, I've had enough of your games. Now tell me who they are, and why only I have the blood of this…king thing."

"These two are the ones who created the Mirror of Silver Moon. More accurately, they are the only ones without equals in the Mirror world. So they created a prison in the other world. One for each world that would share the…never mind the details, now that you have Tsukiryu in your hands you can go deal with the one in Hueco Mundo."

"Yeah yeah, that's great, I'll deal with it later…you…have we met before?" He said to the woman next to Tsubaki.

"Well, according to Tsubaki we have, you see…"

…

"Huh." Was all Ichigo could say after she explained what happened.

"That's it? I thought an idiot like you couldn't comprehend that." Tsubaki said with a sigh.

"So what do I call you?"

"You can call me Menoly if you like, it's a cute name, so you're the grandson huh? He's a bit less…banged up than I imagined when you said he was a war criminal."

"He was just healed. Anyway. Kazuya, Menoly, are you two ready to go?"

"I guess so…wait, where are we going?" The man said, taking his attention off the painting of him and his sister in front of Tsukiryu.

"Hueco Mundo. We have a problem, your old buddy Kemosuke is up to no good again."

"Buddy?" Ichigo asked moving closer.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you, the reason they were held in crystals is because this was the only way to get them out of the Mirror without completely destroying their body. I made the error of sending them in without a Projection. And they got…into a situation and their souls started deteriorating, it took this long for his to heal, hers was…well. Divided in two and sent here. Anyway, I promise to explain everything to everyone once you deal with your…I mean deal with the Aizen family."


End file.
